“There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)
Life has many different seasons, just as people have many different emotions.
There are times I feel light, joyful and wide-eyed at the beauty of the world. I am curious and kind, and things seem easy, not perfect, but I have a clear perspective on who I am, who I serve and what I want my life to look and feel like.
Then just like a switch, I am fearful. I become paralyzed by fear and no longer trust the people in my life, myself or the God I once thought I knew. I feel alone, confused and far too complicated to try to explain my emotions to anyone.
Those two examples are extreme – they demonstrate how dramatic, wavering and conflicting we as humans can be. There is one thing that I cling to in times where I feel tossed by the winds and waves of life: There is no fear in love.
1 John 4:18 reminds us that God’s love has nothing to do with fear. In fact, His love rids us of all fear in our lives. And if we continue to live in fear, we are choosing that over His love. Our world is full of sin, which is why we may experience hurt, betrayal or heartbreak that often leaves us terrified to love and trust anyone, even God. But our God loves fearlessly, and we can love Him fearlessly back because He will never hurt us or abandon us.
Philippians 4:6-7 tells a similar story of God’s love and His heart for us, but with a little more instruction on how to approach it: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Many people recall these verses in times of trials, yet the profoundness of the words are often overlooked.
These verses are asking us to pray to God and present our requests to Him when we are fearful or hesitant to dive into Him and His love. God wants us to come to Him when we feel these emotions because although we may be scared, He is not scared of them. He created humans, their minds and their emotions, and He knows how to handle and calm them. He knows exactly what you need.
God promises that if we call on Him during these times, He will give us His peace, which is so powerful that we can’t even understand or explain it. He promises to protect us. He doesn’t promise to answer our prayers in the exact way and form that we want, but He does promise His peace and protection, which is far more and far better than anything we could want or ask.
If you ask God to help you and intervene in your life, heartbreak or confusion, He will. But He will do it in His way, which you must learn to trust is the best way. The love that the Lord offers is one that you have never known before Him. It is one that no other person or thing could ever offer you. It does not involve fear – instead, it gives you an incredible, unexplainable peace.
Friends, indulge in God’s love! Love Him without fear, and trust in His plan and His ways for you.
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