11. Fearless 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
Fear is a powerful thing – it can stop us in our tracks, paralyse us. It is limiting, overwhelming. It can make our heart race, cause physical and mental illness. It stops us living the lives God intended for us with courage.
We face fear every day of our lives. Our fears are fuelled by the media and often those closest to us. We are told “you can’t do that, you’ll get hurt” or “That’s dangerous – don’t go there.” The media harps on fear to sell its products warning us on every page, every screen, of the dangers and impending doom that is lurking out there seeking to harm us. During the Covid epidemic, people in Australia feared that they would run out of toilet paper, of all things! In the current (2026) war situation in the Middle East the fear is we won’t have petrol for our cars.
If we listened to all these voices (including the ones in our own heads) we would never do anything, go anywhere, try anything new. But mostly we push through in the everyday, we get in the car, jump on the train, take a plane – we take the risk and “do it afraid.”
But what about those other times when you know you should take a step forward but the “what if?” voice speaks in your head. Your feet won’t move; your mouth is dry. I remember a time in India being part of a group that was going to pray with a small community of families across the bridge which turned out to be a large pipe across a very dirty, muddy looking creek. To make matters worse it was dark! Fear set in – I began to make excuses to myself – I’m too old, let the younger ones go, I might fall in and who knows what bugs lurk beneath the surface. My head was telling me the risk was too great. But I pushed through the voices, took the risk and, with the help of my Indian friends, I made it. Elation! Love for these people, unknown to me, had helped me to overcome the fear and push through. Oh! what a feeling!
God is love – love compels us to give it a go. Love drives out fear. God drives out fear. Perfect love drives out fear. God’s love for me and for those we were going to pray for, compelled me to cross the pipe. Do you get it?
God’s love is compelling us to say no to fear, to step into those things we have been afraid to do in the past. It may be enrolling in a new course, knocking on a neighbour’s door, signing up for that mission trip. God’s love is compelling us to live the life he has planned for us. Often, this will mean “doing it afraid” to start with, pushing through the fear barrier, but the more we do it the less we will be afraid. Remember God’s words to Joshua:
This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go
Joshua 1:9
Prayer: Lord, I don’t want to live a life of fear and trepidation. I don’t want to be influenced by those who tell me I can’t do it – that I’m too old, not fit enough, can’t afford it, not suited for the job. Be with me today and each day, let your love flow into and over me so that I can face it all and break through the fear barrier to live the full and abundant life you planned for me.
Amen
Action: Today, identify at least one of your fears, take it to God, ask for an outpouring of his love to chase away that fear. Then let go, let God drive it out, and go for it.
Journal your thoughts…
