​  “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.” – 1 Peter 5:7 NLT

Peter gives us instructions for living a Christian life, and sometimes I want to graphics him by the lapels  (or robe??), and ask him how am I supposed to do this? Give God all of my worries. Don’t worry about anything. Be thankful for everything. Really? I read the words, I memorize the words, and I repeat the words, hoping that somehow the means to do these things seeps into my being. God doesn’t expect me to do it on my own. He knows I don’t know how, and He knows I can’t do it alone. He doesn’t expect me to do it alone, either. Jesus said:

  “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, Who will NEVER leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all Truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.” – John 14:16‭-‬17 NLT 

Even though we/I want Him to stay with us, Jesus tells us: “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate [Holy Spirit] won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send Him to you.” – John 16:7 NLT

It is through the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, that we are able to achieve the freedom God offers us. When He says to give Him all of our worries, He is offering us a freedom that is impossible to have without Him. Paul says:

  “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT

He (Paul) is giving us instructions in living the freedom God has offered us. It’s critical that we first accept Jesus Christ as Savior, because only Jesus can give us the eternal life and companionship we crave. Unfortunately, so many of us accept His salvation, but don’t follow through in opening our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit and the absolute freedom He offers from the worry of the world. 

Never alone. That is God’s promise. The complete salvation and total freedom that Jesus offers comes in two parts. First, salvation through Jesus Christ, which is freedom from death and the promise of eternal life. Second, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, Who lives in us and guides us through life. Live, love, and laugh at full life, through God the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

(All scriptures quoted are from the Bible app –  http://bible.com/116/1th.5.18.NLT)