Perfect love dispels fear

There is no fear in love; on the contrary, perfect love casts out fear, because fear implies punishment. Anyone who feels fear is not perfect in love.

Love is often described as a powerful emotion, but it's also much more than that. Love is patient and kind. It is not envious or boastful. It is neither proud nor rude. It doesn't insist on getting what it wants. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice in injustice, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never stops (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

In short, love is perfect. And because it's perfect, it drives out fear. Fear implies punishment because it's based on the expectation of pain or harm. But perfect love eliminates this fear because it brings with it the assurance of God's forgiveness and grace. When we truly love others, we're not afraid of them, or of what they might do to us. On the contrary, we offer them the same grace and love that God has shown us. And in so doing, we experience the perfect love of God himself.

Yet fear is a powerful emotion that can have a paralyzing effect on our lives. It can cause us to miss opportunities and prevent us from realizing our full potential. However, fear is often based on irrational thoughts and false assumptions.

When we really love someone, we're not afraid of them. On the contrary, we feel confident and sure of her love for us. We know she'd never do anything to hurt us, so we're not afraid of her. On the contrary, we're able to relax fully and be ourselves in their presence. This is because perfect love casts out fear. When we are loved perfectly, we have no reason to be afraid.

As we reflect on these truths, let's remember to love ourselves fully. Let's also remember that perfect love casts out fear, and that when we feel fear, it's a sign that we're not yet in a state of perfect love. Instead of letting fear dictate our lives, let's choose instead to treat ourselves with respect, not forgetting those around us. Love is the most powerful emotion of all. It can help us to be kinder, more patient people. When we have love in our lives, everything becomes better.

What fears have you been able to banish by choosing to live in love?
We can't be fully in the present moment and experience all that life has to offer when we're afraid. Instead of living in fear, let's choose to be filled with love for ourselves and for others. What steps will you take today to start moving away from fear and towards love?