I suffer from a common yet rarely-diagnosed condition called “spinners.” You may be familiar with the symptoms. You may even suffer from it like I do, yet not even know it is a real THING.

Oh yes, it is real.

Spinners most often occur when the full realization of something you have recently said or written hits you full force, “spinning” you right out of bed or the chair or wherever you currently happen to be.

My most recent episode occurred yesterday, the day my new book, I’m NOT a Wicked Stepmother released. I experienced a mix of emotions…excitement, fear, regret (“why in the world did I say that?” and “what in the world possessed me to say it that way?” or “I wish I had said this instead”…you get the idea).

So I have spent most of today telling myself  that it’s too late now and the best thing to do is to pray and trust God to take it and do with it what He will. Actually that’s good advice. It’s exactly what I would advise a friend suffering from a severe case of spinners.

Do you ever regret anything you’ve said or done? Ever suffer from spinners…now that you know what it is?

You don’t have to have written a book to experience spinners. A careless word here, a thoughtless word there, an unintentional tone thrown in wherever…you get the picture.

Well, there’s good news for people like us…people who suffer from the malady of spinners. As in all cases, scripture offers a solution. Apparently spinners have been around for a long time, because Peter offers us some encouragement when we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of an outbreak.

And if anyone should know, it would be Peter. Peter, who loved the Lord, yet shot his mouth off several times that we know of (so just imagine how many more times that didn’t get recorded for us!).

Peter took it to the extreme by denying the Lord, and when the full weight of what he had said hit him, (“Woman, I don’t know him,” said at one of the moments Jesus most could have used a friend, Luke 22:57) “he went outside and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:62).

I think this is why I love Peter so much. In my own way, I’ve done the same thing…said something I bitterly regret, winding up in tears over my lack of courage, my weakness, the pain I have caused.

Yet Jesus took the shame from Peter, forgave him and even restored him to leadership. (John 21:15). Peter is the perfect one to encourage us. What advice can he give when we face yet another excruciating attack of spinners?

“Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” (I Peter 5:7).

That’s it, my friends. Cast our care, because we can’t bear it ourselves. Our anxiety will crush us. And why can we cast it on Jesus? Because he loves us, he cares for us, and he is capable of bearing it for us. What a kind Savior he is!

Peter knew it, Peter experienced it, and now I can, too—and so can you. “Cast your anxiety”– it’s  the perfect antidote for spinners.