Perfect Love Drives Out Fear

Devotional Reading: 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 4:18 ESV

We will always have fears to face, however must understand that faith is running into the presence of our heavenly Father. Faith is not believing in God’s goodness only when we are out of the storm; faith is believing in God’s goodness right in the middle of it. The question we have to ask is: When we are faced with fear, do we seek the love of our Father or seek the solution in ourselves?

One moment in the presence of God can eradicate a lifetime of fears because God is love. He did not create love or form love. He is perfect love, and today’s passage says, ‘Perfect love drives out all fear.’ Faith is realizing that it is better to be in the eye of the storm with Jesus than on the shore without him. In Matthew 8, we read of a storm hitting the boat where Jesus was asleep.

However, Jesus was not woken by the waves; he was woken by the fearful disciples. After calming the storm, his word to them was, ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ What a statement!

Why are we afraid? Why do we fear? If we truly believe in the word of God, truly believe Jesus conquered the grave, then we should allow our faith to outweigh any fears we might have.

Prayer and Confession
I believe that the Word of God is true. So I believe God loves me and in this I rely on. Hence, my fear is replaced with faith in His perfect love.

Further Reading: Matthew 8:23-27, 2Timothy 1:7