Perfect Love

"Such love has no fear,

because perfect love expels all fear.

If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment,

and this shows that we have not fully experienced

his perfect love." 

I John 4:18 NLT

There are so many things in this world that can draw me into a state of fear.  I often fear what may happen in the future, what people might be thinking, or how someone may react.  Fear is a common human emotion, but it can cripple and render a believer helpless. So common is fear that you might be surprised at the men of faith who experienced periods of fear in their lives.

Sinking  Peter, along with the disciples of Jesus, had just experienced the miracle of Jesus multiplying the loaves and fish to feed a crowd of five thousand.  Jesus retreated to a place of solitude as the rest of the group crossed the lake in a boat.  As Jesus later walked on water toward them, they were all gripped with fear, but Jesus reassured them:  “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27) Immediately, Peter asked Jesus to confirm his identity by asking him, a mere human, to walk on water!  When Jesus said, "Come," Peter jumped out of the boat and walked on water.  But as soon as he turned his focus from the one he loved, toward the threatening waves, he began to sink.  As Jesus reached out to pull Peter up, He asked, “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (verse 31)

Run for your life  Elijah was one of the greatest men of faith, proclaiming a period of drought which would only end at his word, healing a widow's son, and boldly showing God's power against 450 prophets of Baal.  After these amazing feats of faith, Elijah fled for fear of losing his life at the hand of the evil and powerful Jezebel, wife of Ahab the king of Judah,. (I Kings 18-19) 

Deception  Abraham, the chosen father of many nations who couragously left the land of his father and obediently traveled to a land he did not know, was plagued with fear at times.  He claimed his wife Sarah to be his sister out of fear that the reigning king of the region would kill Abraham and claim her as his own.  And he did this not once, but twice! (Genesis 12, 20)

Panic  How did these men of great faith who had witnessed mighty acts of God fall into a state of panic, driving them to sink, run and deceive?  They were human just like me and you.  No one is immune to fear, but we do not have to be ruled by fear.

Faith  There is a saying of unknown origin that goes, "Fear knocked at the door.  Faith answered.  No one was there."  Faith is an antidote to fear.  Peter sank when he took his eyes off Jesus and instead focused on the threat of danger all around him. He began to doubt that Jesus could enable him to walk on water and started to instead believe that the waves would overtake him.  This is how I many times feel in life when I forget that Jesus can deliver me from the cares of this world.   I can ward off fear by choosing to trust in Jesus.

Love  Sometimes I fear what others will do to me, or think of me, because I know only too well the state of the human heart.  But love is an antidote to fear.  Fear is based on a faulty understanding of God's love.  When I truly grasp, "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that (I) may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God,"  (Ephesians 3:18b-19) then I will not fear.  I can ward off fear by choosing to rest in the completeness of God's love instead of wallowing in the shallowness of my own feeble humanity.

Choice  Fear is inevitable, but I do not have to let it rule my life.  Instead, I can choose to keep my eyes on Jesus, and seek to comprehend the abundance of God's love.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will not let fear rule my life.

Where am I afraid to follow Jesus?

In what ways do I let fear cripple me?