Wow, spring is bringing with it a quickened pace of life. Why am I always surprised? It does seem to happen every year. Today was another busy one, much different than I thought it would be. But while I was busy and a little flustered by the loss of my routine at moments, I felt blessed that I have so much flexibility in my life right now. I have the time to sub at preschool, run errands, and spend leisurely time talking to a friend who I rarely get to see. I’ve still gotten everything done that I needed to… so far. There are some dishes haunting me, so I’d better hurry up and share this week’s verse with you! And then live in its power in my own life.

The verse is Psalm 55:22, the Seeds Family Worship song for which is titled “Cast Your Cares.” It’s track 3 on “The Power of Encouragement.” The song uses the old NIV but I have pasted the new NIV below. There is only a slight difference.

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

I need this verse today. Sometimes my cares are small, like today when I was concerned (mildly, but still concerned) that I had to work out at a different time and my dinner time didn’t line up with the tv schedule. Big deal! I knew I had to write about this verse as I was fussing in my head about the change to my routine, so I let the Holy Spirit take over. All of a sudden, I was able to enjoy what I was doing in the moment: cooking, listening to music, thinking about all the good things that happened in my day.

I definitely need this verse when cares are large, like when I’m unsure how we will pay for an upcoming expense, or I’m discouraged about my health, or I feel the distance from friends and family, or I feel my very real inadequacies in some other way. These are the times when we may feel like we’re about to fall, or like giving up, or like giving in to feelings of hopelessness.

As I wrote when Philippians 4:12 was the verse of the week, God’s Spirit does not allow me to give up or fall away when life gets tough. That is God’s sustaining work in our lives. His power and love are real. And unfailing. And offered in spite of (because of?) our inadequacy, helplessness, and sin. God knows we can’t stand up under the weight of ourselves and this world. Even though we made the choice to oppose him with our sin by trusting in those things, he will always provide a way through our circumstances. Whether it’s a visible light at the end of the tunnel like finding a twenty dollar bill when you’re $20 short, or if it’s a quiet assurance in your heart that you will make it through, our gracious God will hold his children up. When we belong to God, he makes us righteous. We are given a new nature– his nature. We will not be shaken, and we will not fall.

Some other powerful verses that came to mind with this one:

• 1 Peter 5:7
• Psalm 37:5 (another Seeds song, and verse of the week #7)
• Psalm 37:24
• Psalm 62:2

It’s very early in the week, yet I’ve already had ample opportunity to put this verse into action. How about you?