"I Felt Lighter"

Several years ago, I thought I had reached the end of my rope. My heart had been broken for the first time — to the point that I was throwing up with anxiety and depression. I was also doing my student teaching which added a whole other level to my growing stress. To top it all off, I came down with a cold that left me feeling lethargic and unmotivated.

I remember sitting in my pajamas in my apartment on a Sunday evening, bawling and literally feeling like I couldn’t go on — that I wouldn’t survive another day. I called a friend to ask for a prayer and a blessing. It was good, and helped a little, but the intense anxiety and sorrow I was feeling still lingered heavily.

I crawled into my bed that night, and as I was crying and saying my night prayers, I remembered the lyrics to one of my favorite Christian songs: “Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you.” I remembered the verse of scripture it was based on, 1 Peter 5:7.

Desperately, I pleaded with the Lord that, if those things were true, then would He please take the burdens from me. I imagined “casting” my cares on him — giving Him all of my worries, fears, heartbreak, pain, etc, and imagined Him taking them. Immediately, I felt everything lift from my shoulders. My problems didn’t magically go away — I still had to go in and student teach the next day, I still had a cold, and the boy I had fallen for wasn’t suddenly going to date me — but I felt an astounding peace and comfort. I felt lighter. I knew I could go on, and that the Savior was with me.