The Upside of Fear
Life is scary. The world is big. Every day the statistical likelihood of catching an illness or disease feels imminent. There are people abusing power in the work place, schools, and churches. We live in a world where every bit of unfortunate information is at our fingertips. What we are left with day in and day out offers a bleakness and a hopelessness.
…funny how God knows this and gave us a tool in which to make these burdens feel lighter than we could ever imagine.
In a world filled with fear, God’s word offers us love…
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
The upside of fear is love. God’s love. We find His love through His word and we find his love through other people. God knew life would cause us to fear. He understands that we will fear. So, when I read this passage in 1 John, I do not hear God shaming us in our fears. I hear God reminding us who He is and created us to be. He is love and we are the beloved. His perfect love drives out our fears. His love does not punish—it makes us perfect in love. And as we grow closer to Him, His great love overcomes and overpowers the fears within us.
Next Wednesday we get to experience the beginning of Lent with one another through our Ash Wednesday service on February 26th at 6:30pm. This is a time when the Church worldwide unites for forty days, declaring through prayer and reflection that perfect love came, died, and rose again to permanently cast out fear. I hope you join us on Wednesday as we focus our hearts and minds, in unity, on the perfect love of Jesus.
Until Sunday,
-Tone Waters, Director of GO & Communications