Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

Growing up, most people labeled me as shy. But as I got older, I began to realize that I wasn't necessarily shy; I was afraid. I was afraid to speak up, afraid of being judged, and afraid of what might happen if I allowed myself to be seen. The more hurt I experienced, the more those fears seemed to grow.

I wasn't just afraid of traveling. I was afraid of missing out on what God had for me. I was afraid of dying before my time, of getting hurt, of being let down by God, and of somehow missing the very things I had been praying for. My fear wasn't necessarily about traveling itself; it was about everything I was afraid might happen along the way.

I was afraid of church—not the building itself, but being surrounded by religious people and wondering whether I would be judged, looked down upon, betrayed, hurt, or abandoned again. I was afraid of not being wanted or needed.

I was afraid to pick up music again. But I wasn't actually afraid to play. I was afraid I wasn't good enough. I was afraid of being hurt all over again and of never having what it takes.

But as I follow Christ, I'm learning in real time what that verse actually means: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18, KJV).

You see, fear itself isn't necessarily the enemy. It's when fear becomes a stronghold in our lives, keeping us from living and crippling our ability to experience the joyful life God intends for us, that it becomes a problem.

We hear so much preaching against fear, especially in charismatic circles and throughout the church. We're often told to just have more faith. But sometimes, it's not that we need more faith, so to speak. We need a deeper understanding of God's love and the courage to step forward in it.

We need the courage to speak up when something is wrong, even when everyone else says it's right. We need the courage to love people others would rather avoid—the ones deemed difficult to love. We need the courage to get up and live the life God has called us to live, embracing joy without being controlled by the fear of what might happen next.

We also need the courage to embrace our emotions: our anger, our sadness, our pain, and our humanity. Following Christ doesn't mean pretending we're okay when we're not. It doesn't mean suppressing our emotions or pretending we never struggle.

We are called to pursue Christlikeness, to become more like Jesus each day. But we won't reach perfection in this life. That doesn't make us lesser Christians, nor does it make us superhuman when we get things right. We still face trials and tribulations. None of us is exempt from pain, disappointment, or difficult seasons.

Perhaps part of learning to walk in God's love is learning to have the courage to embrace one another again—to love again, trust wisely again, step out again, and live again.

Malachi 4:2 speaks of the Sun of Righteousness rising with healing in His wings. I love that picture because sometimes, before we can step into the life God has called us to live, we need healing. We need Him to meet us in the places where fear, rejection, and disappointment have taken root.

Maybe the answer isn't simply to tell people to stop being afraid or to try harder to have faith. Maybe we need to create room for healing, to remind one another of God's love, and to encourage one another to take those difficult steps forward.

Because perfect love doesn't call us to pretend we're never afraid. It teaches us that fear doesn't have to control our lives. And sometimes, the courage to live again begins with allowing God to heal the places where fear once held us captive.