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Autumn Stillness — Lessons from Falling Leaves and Slowing Seasons

Autumn has always felt different to me. The mornings are quieter, the air has that crisp edge, and everything around me seems to be whispering, slow down. The light changes too—it softens, almost as if God Himself is dimming the brightness so we can rest our eyes and our souls. What strikes me most this time of year is the way the trees let go of their leaves. They don’t fight to hold on. They don’t panic about what’s next. They simply release. Every leaf, no matter how bright or how fragile, eventually drifts down in its own timing. And the world doesn’t see it as loss—it sees it as beauty. That picture has been sitting heavy with me lately. Because if I’m honest, I’m not good at letting go. I hold on tight to plans, to fears, to expectations of how I think things should go. Sometimes I even cling to old hurts because, in some strange way, they feel familiar. But the trees remind me that letting go isn’t the end—it’s part of the rhythm God built into life. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “...
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What It Means to Cast Your Cares on Him—Really


 “Casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.”

—1 Peter 5:7 (WEB)

There are verses in the Bible that are easy to underline but hard to live. For me, 1 Peter 5:7 is one of them. “Casting all your worries on Him, because He cares for you.” It sounds so beautiful and comforting. Yet when I stop and think about my daily life, my heart still feels heavy, my thoughts still race, and my hands still want to hold on to the very things I just “cast” away.

If I’m honest, I’ve often prayed, “Lord, I’m giving this to You,” only to pick it right back up five minutes later. Maybe you know that feeling too—the tug of worry, the pull of control, the fear that if you don’t keep carrying it, everything will fall apart.

So what does it really mean to cast our cares on Him? And how do we do it when life feels overwhelming?

Casting Is More Than Talking

When Peter uses the word “casting,” it’s not a casual toss. In the original language, it carries the picture of deliberately throwing something off yourself and onto another. It’s intentional. It’s active. It’s not halfway handing over or keeping one hand on the rope—it’s releasing the full weight.

That’s the part I struggle with. Because I can say the words of release, but deep down I often keep the weight tucked under my arm. Casting our cares isn’t just talking about them—it’s trusting God enough to let go.

When we pray, “God, I can’t carry this anymore,” we’re not just giving Him our words, we’re surrendering our attempt to control the outcome. That surrender can feel like falling backward with no guarantee of how things will land. But the promise of this verse is clear: He cares for us. We’re not falling into nothingness—we’re falling into His hands.

The Weight of Worry

I know what it’s like to live with the kind of worry that doesn’t stay politely in the background. The kind that comes crashing in at three in the morning. The kind that makes your body tense, your thoughts spiral, and your prayers feel more like panicked cries than peaceful conversations.

Maybe your worries are about your health. Or your children. Or your job. Maybe it’s the kind of grief and loss that feels too big to even put into words. We all carry something, and some of us carry more than others.

Worry is heavy. It drains energy, steals joy, and leaves us weary before the day even begins. No wonder God invites us to cast it off. He knows it’s too heavy for us to bear alone.

Why We Hesitate

But if God cares for us, why do we cling so tightly to our cares?

For me, it usually comes down to fear. Fear that if I don’t manage it, something will go wrong. Fear that God won’t answer the way I hope. Fear that surrender means losing control, and I’d rather hold on than face the unknown.

We hesitate because letting go requires trust. And trust isn’t built overnight—it’s forged in the daily decision to believe that God really is who He says He is: faithful, loving, present, strong.

Casting Looks Like This

So how do we move from knowing this verse to living it out?

  1. Naming the care. Sometimes I carry a weight I can’t even define. Sitting down with a journal or whispering in prayer, “Lord, this is what’s on my heart,” helps me be specific. It’s hard to cast what we can’t name.

  2. Placing it in His hands. I often picture myself physically laying my worry at His feet, as if setting down a bag I no longer have the strength to hold. It’s a way of reminding my heart: this no longer belongs to me.

  3. Refusing to pick it back up. This is the hardest part. Worries have a way of sneaking back in. But every time they do, I remind myself, “No, I’ve already given this to God.” It’s not about never feeling the pull again—it’s about resisting the urge to reclaim what I’ve surrendered.

  4. Filling the empty hands. When I release worry, I need to fill that space with something better. Scripture, worship, gratitude, even small acts of service. Otherwise, the empty space will be filled again with the same old fears.

Casting our cares isn’t a one-time act. It’s a daily rhythm. Sometimes it’s a moment-by-moment choice. And God doesn’t get weary of us repeating it. He doesn’t sigh and say, “Didn’t we do this yesterday?” His care for us is patient, steady, and unchanging.

He Cares—Really

The heart of this verse is not just about what we do, but about who He is. We cast our cares because He cares. That simple truth is easy to skim past but hard to sit with.

God doesn’t see our worries as burdensome or annoying. He doesn’t compare us to others and say, “Why can’t you handle this better?” He doesn’t tell us to toughen up or figure it out on our own. He cares. That means He leans in, He listens, He carries, He comforts.

And His care isn’t conditional. It’s not, “I’ll care if you pray hard enough, or if you have enough faith.” His care is rooted in His character, not in our performance.

Learning to Live Lighter

I won’t pretend I have mastered this. Many mornings I still wake up with a mind that wants to sprint toward worry before I’ve even had my coffee. But I’m slowly learning that living lighter doesn’t come from having fewer problems—it comes from carrying them differently.

When I hold them, they weigh me down. When I place them on Him, I can breathe again. Not because everything is instantly solved, but because I’m no longer carrying the full load.

Jesus once said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 WEB). That’s the echo of this verse in 1 Peter. God isn’t asking us to deny our struggles or pretend life isn’t heavy. He’s asking us to come, to cast, to release, and to rest.

A Gentle Reminder

If today you find yourself clutching your worries like I so often do, remember this: God is not asking you to figure everything out. He’s inviting you to place it in His hands. To trade your restless heart for His steady care.

It might not feel natural at first. It might take practice. It might feel like you’re casting the same care a hundred times in a week. But each time you release, you’re choosing trust over fear, surrender over control, faith over striving.

And with every act of casting, you’re reminded of the truth that steadies us more than anything else: He cares for you. Really.

Prayer

Lord, You see the weight I’m carrying, the worries that press on me, the fears I can’t shake. I confess that I hold on to them too tightly, trying to control what only You can handle. Today I choose to cast these cares on You—not just in words, but in trust. Teach me to let go, to rest, and to believe that You truly care for me. Amen.

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