Throw It, Don’t Place It!

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

January 4th Sermon, Day 2

When you think about giving your worries to God, what comes to mind? Many of us imagine carefully placing our concerns before Him, like setting down a delicate package.

But that's not what Peter had in mind when he wrote about casting our anxiety on God. The word 'cast' that Peter uses is the same word used to describe fishermen hurling their heavy nets into the sea with force and intention. It's not gentle or careful - it's decisive and complete. Peter is telling us to throw our worries at God, to hurl them away from ourselves with the same energy we'd use to get rid of something we desperately don't want to carry anymore.

This changes everything about how we approach our anxiety. Instead of tiptoeing around our worries or trying to manage them politely, God wants us to get rid of them entirely. He can handle the force of our fears. He's not fragile or easily overwhelmed by the weight of what we're carrying. Most of us have become expert worry managers rather than worry casters.

We organize our anxieties, analyze them, and try to control them. But management isn't what God is asking for. He's asking for release - complete, forceful, intentional release. Casting means admitting that you're tired of pretending you can fix everything. It means acknowledging that some burdens are too heavy for you to carry and too complex for you to solve. When you cast your anxiety on God, you're not just asking for help - you're actively getting rid of the weight that's been crushing you. Today, identify one specific worry that you've been carefully managing. Instead of trying to handle it gently, imagine throwing it forcefully into God's capable hands.

Bible Verse

'Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.' - 1 Peter 5:7

Reflection Question

What would it look like for you to stop managing a specific worry and instead throw it completely to God?

Quote Casting doesn't mean you set it down gently in front of God. No, Peter uses this word cast, for a really particular reason. It doesn't mean “carefully place your anxiety, just really gently give it to God.” No, it means throw it, hurl it, get it away from you.

Prayer

Lord, I'm tired of trying to manage my worries on my own. Help me to cast them on You with force and intention, trusting that You can handle whatever I throw Your way. Give me the courage to truly let go. Amen.

You’re Not Broken Because You’re Anxious

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

January 4th Sermon, Day 1

Have you ever felt embarrassed about your anxiety? Maybe you've wondered if your worries mean you don't have enough faith, or if you're somehow failing as a believer. If so, you're not alone, and more importantly, you're not broken.

Anxiety isn't a character flaw or a spiritual deficiency. Even the heroes of faith experienced deep worry and fear. David poured out his anxious thoughts in the Psalms. Elijah felt so overwhelmed he wanted to give up. Peter himself, who wrote about casting our cares on God, struggled with fear when he walked on water.

God doesn't look at your anxiety with disappointment or frustration. He doesn't roll His eyes when you bring the same worry to Him for the hundredth time. Instead, He sees your humanity and responds with compassion. Your anxiety reveals that you're living in a broken world where uncertainty is real and pain is possible. The beautiful truth is that God doesn't shame you for your worries. He actually invites you to bring them to Him. Every anxious thought, every sleepless night, every racing heart - He wants to hear about it all.

You don't have to clean up your anxiety before coming to God. You don't have to have it all figured out or feel spiritually mature enough. Today, instead of fighting against your anxiety or feeling guilty about it, recognize it as part of your human experience. God created you with emotions, including the capacity to feel concern and fear. The goal isn't to eliminate these feelings but to learn where to take them. Your anxiety can actually become a pathway to deeper intimacy with God when you see it as an invitation to run to Him rather than away from Him.

Bible Verse

'Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.' - 1 Peter 5:7

Reflection Question

What messages have you believed about anxiety that might be keeping you from bringing your worries honestly to God?

Quote Anxiety's not a sign of weak faith. Cause I think sometimes it's put forth like that. Like, if you just could get your act together, you wouldn't have so much anxiety. And that's not true at all.

Prayer

God, thank You that You don't shame me for my anxiety. Help me see my worries not as failures but as opportunities to experience Your care. Give me the courage to bring my anxious thoughts to You without trying to clean them up first. Amen.

Keep Looking, Keep Finding

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

December 28th Sermon, Day 5

Simeon and Anna's story doesn't end with a single encounter. After recognizing Jesus, they didn't retire from their spiritual journey—they continued in faithful devotion. Anna immediately began sharing the good news with others who were also looking for redemption. Their discovery of Jesus wasn't a finish line; it was a new beginning.

This teaches us that looking for Jesus isn't a one-time event—it's a lifetime posture of faith, hope, and attentiveness. Even after we've encountered Him, we continue to discover new dimensions of who He is and how He works in our lives. Each day brings fresh opportunities to see Him, know Him, and experience His presence. If you're still searching, take heart. Keep looking with an open heart, and you will find Him.

If you've already found Jesus, keep looking for new ways He wants to reveal Himself to you. He's always closer than you think, and the beautiful truth is that while you're looking for Him, He's been looking for you all along. The promise is sure: those who seek Jesus with sincere hearts will always find Him. In Him, you'll discover not just temporary happiness, but lasting salvation, deep peace, and hope that endures forever. So keep looking, keep trusting, and most of all, keep showing up. Your faithful search will be rewarded.

Bible Verse

'And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.' - Luke 2:38

Reflection Question

How has your understanding and experience of Jesus grown since you first encountered Him, and where do you sense Him inviting you to look for Him next?

Quote Looking for Jesus isn't just a one time event. No, it's a lifetime posture of faith, of hope, and of attentiveness.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You that You are always near and always revealing Yourself to those who seek You. Help me to maintain a posture of looking for You throughout my life. May I never stop discovering new depths of who You are. Amen.

Recognizing Jesus in Unexpected Places

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

December 28th Sermon, Day 4

Picture the scene: the temple in Jerusalem, bustling with religious activity. Priests performing ceremonies, families fulfilling obligations, religious leaders discussing theology. In the midst of all this spiritual activity, a poor young couple enters with their baby. Most people probably didn't give them a second glance—just another family going through the motions.

But Simeon and Anna saw something different. While others saw an ordinary baby from an unremarkable family, they recognized the Savior of the world. Their spiritual sensitivity allowed them to see Jesus when He came in humility rather than power, in weakness rather than strength.

This challenges us profoundly. Is it possible to be surrounded by religious activity and still miss Jesus? Absolutely. We can attend church, participate in programs, and even serve in ministry while failing to recognize Jesus when He shows up in unexpected ways. He often comes through humble service, through suffering, through people we might otherwise overlook. Jesus rarely shows up the way we expect. He comes in the homeless person asking for help, in the difficult coworker who needs grace, in the quiet moment of prayer when we're not looking for anything dramatic. The question isn't whether Jesus is present—it's whether we have the spiritual sensitivity to recognize Him when He comes in ways that surprise us.

Bible Verse

'And when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God' - Luke 2:27-28

Reflection Question

Where might Jesus be showing up in your life in humble or unexpected ways that you haven't recognized?

Quote Will you recognize Jesus when he comes in unexpected ways? See, Jesus often shows up in humility, in suffering, in serving, and in people who we might otherwise overlook.

Prayer

Jesus, give me eyes to see You in unexpected places and people. Help me not to miss You because You come in humility rather than power. Make my heart sensitive to Your presence in all its forms. Amen.

The Art of Faithful Waiting

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

December 28th Sermon, Day 3

Waiting is one of life's most difficult challenges. Whether we're waiting for a job opportunity, a relationship, healing, or simply clarity about our future, the space between promise and fulfillment can feel endless.

But Simeon's story teaches us that waiting on God is never passive—it's an active posture of faith. Simeon had received a promise from God that he wouldn't die before seeing the Messiah. But that promise came with no timeline, no specific date circled on a calendar. For years, possibly decades, Simeon waited. Yet his waiting wasn't characterized by sitting at home hoping something would happen. He actively positioned himself where God might move, regularly showing up at the temple, staying alert and expectant.

When you're in a season of waiting, it's easy to become discouraged or to wonder if God has forgotten His promises to you. But Simeon's example reminds us that God's promises aren't forgotten—they're fulfilled at exactly the right time. Your job isn't to figure out the timing; it's to stay faithful where God has called you. If you're waiting on God today, take heart. Keep showing up. Keep trusting. Keep positioning yourself where God can use you. When you stay where God has called you, even when the wait is long, you will eventually see the fruition of your waiting.

Bible Verse

'Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.' - Luke 2:25

Reflection Question

In what area of your life are you currently waiting on God, and how can you make your waiting more active and faithful?

Quote Simeon teaches us that when you stay where God has called you, even when the wait is long, you'll eventually see the fruition of your waiting. If God's called you to something, you will see the fruition of it.

Prayer

Lord, teach me to wait on You with active faith. When the waiting feels long, help me to trust Your timing and remain faithful where You've placed me. Give me patience and hope as I wait for Your promises to unfold. Amen.