We know that worrying is not good for our health. But it’s not just the worries that can clutter our thoughts to the point of exhausting us. God gives us a warning about this in His Word.

This may be one of the first verses new Christians memorize. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV). We often attach this verse to Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything”, or to Matthew 6:34: “do not worry about tomorrow”. And it’s true, we have to trust God and not doubt that He will take care of us. We can leave our anxieties and fears at His feet and be at peace in our hearts.

However, the word “anxiety” in 1 Peter 5:7 does not only mean “worries”. This word is the translation from the Greek “merimna” which effectively means “anxiety”, but also “care”. The verse recommends that we let go of all the little things that we need to take care of: this is our to-do list. The concept of “mental load” is nothing new! God was already talking about it in His Word! It is all these thoughts that we have that distract us from God. The word “merimna” is a derivative of the word “merizo” which means “to divide into different parts”. God wants our full attention, not a divided heart.

The word used in 1 Peter 5:7 is the same one used in Matthew 13:22. “And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” The anxieties of the world are not only worries but also anything that demands our attention. It can be anything that monopolizes our thoughts. And Jesus makes it clear here: our to-do list can stifle the Word of God and make it fruitless. Have you ever read a chapter in the Bible and finished it without remembering what you read? All this because you were thinking about something else while reading. Our concerns, even if they do not worry us, prevent the Word from penetrating deeply into us. And this is something that God does not want for us! He wants our full attention.

By default, our thoughts will wander. The apostle Peter tells us here that to be able to focus on God, one has to “cast” those thoughts. It requires an effort on our part. The original Greek word translated “cast” means “through away”. Just like when people threw their cloaks over the donkey and in front of the donkey when Jesus rode into Jerusalem (Luke 19:35). We must be violent with these thoughts that invade us. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV). Our to-do list can keep us from knowing God; this should not be taken lightly.

We must decide to renew our thoughts (Romans 12:2) and not let go with the flow. For it is when we come to give our attention to God that we understand His perfect will. It is in controlling our thoughts that we find rest (Ecclesiastes 2:22). It is when we put on the brakes on our thoughts that we can hear the voice of Jesus (Luke 10:41). Our Savior took time away from everyone to pray, to make sure He was not distracted. This is what He also taught His disciples to do. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6 NIV). We must learn to “close the door” on our to-do list to have quality time with our Father.

You can write down what comes to your mind when you take your time with God, so you don’t have to think about it anymore. You can imagine that all your concerns are big sacks that you throw at the foot of the cross. You can imagine yourself standing before the throne of God and begin to thank Him for all His goodness (Psalms 94:19). But you have to be intentional, be violent to yourself, otherwise, you will be flooded with these thoughts. And Singles, Paul believes that you are the ones who will most easily have victory in this fight. “I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world… ”(1 Corinthians 7:32-34 NIV). So, take advantage of your singleness to practice this necessary skill for your spiritual growth.