Fear:
Webster defines fear as
: to be afraid of (something or someone)
: to expect or worry about (something bad or unpleasant)
: to be afraid and worried
Fear is something I have been thinking of quite a bit lately. If you where to ask me what I am afraid of I would probably say I couldn't come up with something. Spiders, they don't bother me. Snakes, no big deal. Rodents, while I don't like them, I can deal with them. Heights, love them. The dark, I enjoy a quite night outside. I have no idea what "traditional" fear I have.
Yet in all honesty. I am full of fear. Fearful of letting go of all my expectations of who I should be. Or who I believe people believe I should be. Fearful of what might happen if I allow God full access to each and every part of my life. Fearful of what my life may look like if I embrace the possibilities in front of me. Fearful of rejection. Fearful of what other people think of me, even though I proclaim I couldn't careless about what you think of me. Fearful of what could happen if I reveal ever part of myself, all my struggles, all my sins.
In short even though those phobias people talk about I might not really have. I do have fear in my life. But the best part of this story? I am a child of God. Just as the song says, "I am no longer a slave to sin, I am a child of God!"
1 John speaks about fear and love.
1 John 4:18
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."
1 John 4: 8 "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."
God is love. Perfect love casts out fear. Who better to give perfect love than God who IS love? Through Him there is no fear.
But do I trust God enough to allow His perfect love to come over me and drive out fear? Can I do as Proverbs 3 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Trust isn't easy. Even to trust the creator of the world isn't easy. Why? That is the million dollar question. I have no idea. I just know that it isn't easy, it's something I struggle with each and everyday.
Am I ready? Am I ready to fight the battle of letting God's love cast out my fear? It's not just a choice to pursue the amazing things God has placed in my life, it's a choice to battle Satan and the lies he puts in my head. Will it be easy? Absolutely not! But heres to fighting that fight. To putting in the blood, sweat and tears it will take to allow God's love to come over me in a way that drives out fear.
How do I do that? Well it starts with soaking in God's love. Meditating on what He has placed in my life. Absorbing the love He gives through His word, and through the people He has placed in my life. It comes with working to fearlessly follow the amazing opportunities He has given me.
Here is the song that began the articulation of this battle I am in the midst of. I pray it challenges and inspires you.
