I have often heard, and perhaps even written, about fear being combated with faith. However, faith, on its own, is not enough. When fear is filling my heart and mind with statements that are both true and false, I find simply mustering up statements of truth has little power.
1John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.” I like that phrase: “casts out”. Isn’t fear often like an unwelcomed visitor? We can ask it politely to leave and even try bringing in other things to fill our heart, but one thing, one Person actually, has the authority to cast it out.
There are many scary things happening in our world today and I have the privilege and fearful responsibility of bringing a small child into the middle of the chaos. What if the end times are here? What if all we’ve heard described as the tribulations and sufferings of this world passing away is about to come to pass? Can I protect my child from the woes and monsters of this age? No, I cannot.
But, Love…Perfect Love can cast out my fear and give me peace.
I’m brought back to a familiar scene in the life of Christ. Jesus and His disciples are out in the boat on a stormy night. Jesus is sleeping. The disciples are bailing. Fear says, “You will die in this storm.” The disciples believe fear. They awake Jesus and ask, “Don’t you care?” It wasn’t a question of whether or not He had the ability to save them, but whether or not He would.
Love. Love, perfected by an ultimate act of sacrifice we cannot fully understand, extends His hand and says, “Come. Abide in Me. Know Me and know My peace.”
My child is safe in Him. Fear, you must leave.
