“Ouch!” Excruciating pain tore through me as I yelled at my attacker, ““Get out of here!” Angrily, I blotted the blood running out of two deep wounds. 

Hobson was in trouble even though I knew my lovable cat didn’t mean to dig his sharp claws into my foot. He was just trying to scoop up a toy he had dropped. But it hurt. I screamed at him and locked him in the guest bedroom while I had a complete meltdown.

Why did I respond like that? What’s going on with me? 

It hurt, but did it justify yelling at and isolating my cat?. This crazy response was obviously a symptom of something that ran much deeper—anxiety and stress. 

Yelling at Hobson gave me clarity:I was letting stress negatively affect me. Rather than trusting God and embracing His presence, I felt inadequate and anxious, allowing fear and anger to overwhelm me. 

After confessing to the Lord, I released Hobson from his “prison” and turned to God’s Word. 1 Peter 5:6–7 (NASB95): Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

As I reflected on Peter’s words, I could feel my attitude change and my body relax. 

These verses instruct us to do two things when we’re anxious and stressed: Trust (His sovereign hand) and throw (our anxiety onto Him). Why? Because He cares for us. If we believe God cares for us, we can relax, trust Him, and give all of our worries to Him.

I have a coffee mug depicting a very chilled-out cat. He’s not worried or anxious about anything. I like to imagine his owner standing in front of him, telling him everything will be okay. For all we know, there may be German Shepherds barrelling toward him, eyeing their next snack, but he’s calm, knowing he’s safe and secure with his master by his side. I want to be like that cat on my mug—calm in my circumstances, confident in my Lord, embracing His presence regardless of what’s going on around me. 

We live in challenging times, but worrying and fretting won’t help. God wants us to trust His sovereign hand as we rest in His care and everlasting love. 

He used my sweet, playful cat to show me I wasn’t trusting or throwing my stress and anxiety on the Lord. Instead of embracing His presence and strength, I was trying to handle everything on my own. 

Trust is an antidote to stress. If I’m trusting God, I’m not worried. 

What are you worried or stressed about today? Tell God, and then follow His guidance in 1 Peter 5:6–7. Trust and throw. Trust and throw. Remember, He cares for you. 

Father, I want to embrace Your presence when I’m falling apart and having a complete meltdown, but I confess I tend to become stressed and anxious instead. Give me strength to lift my eyes to You when I’m feeling worried and overwhelmed. Remind me that You’ve got it all under control. I love You, Lord.