Perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4:18.
What a powerful verse! I adore how God so tenderly takes our hands and leads us into the greatest adventures our hearts could dream of. These adventures are so beautiful that we may find ourselves with our eyes sparkling with joy for our creator and how He has transformed our hearts and graced us with so much love. These adventures often involve an element of fear. Fear that may be crippling if the fear is not conquered by perfect love. Exodus 4:13 says “Please Lord, send anyone else.” A statement one might not expect came from a man named Moses right before God used him to lead the Israelite’s out of slavery in Egypt. Moses felt that he could not speak with assurance or eloquence and that he was simply not brave enough. God had promised to speak through Moses and provide strength to conquer the fear, however, God did not force him. I see so much of Moses in myself. I remember a time I pleaded with God because of fear. How I would have missed the greatest adventure, sweetest friendships, his power, presence, provision, and intimacy with Him if I had.
It was the summer after my first year of University and the Lord spoke to my heart so clearly that I would be doing something different soon. I wondered what it could be. I continued to pray and I felt in my whole being that God would be taking me to African countries. Each time I would pray I could hear God telling me to “go, go, do not be afraid, go.” I replied to the Lord with a weak-kneed yes and asked him what I needed to do next. I could not believe what was happening! The same night that I said yes to the Lord, fear rushed into my heart. Thoughts of leaving my family for five months, fear of going all alone,fear of leaving school, fear of being kidnapped, fear of sickness. Fear had crippled me. I cried out to the Lord that night and welcomed friends to pray for me in our cabin during our college ministries summer mission in Lake Tahoe, CA. Those dear friends, asked the Lord to send me comfort and in all his glorious grace, He did! That week, I met a woman named Nonna at the grocery store. That woman was from the same place I would be going! God had sent me comfort and confirmation in her. I still wonder if she was an angel! She welcomed me to her home and showed me photos of where I was headed. I found great comfort in her.
What the Lord has been revealing to me is that fear can be so crippling, but if we can trust and hold tight to Him, He will provide and do wonders! He absolutely loves us and wants to take us deeper and deeper into love with Him. This amazing news of Jesus Christ is the greatest gift and is meant to be shared to all. If one person comes to know Jesus on the other side of fear it will be worth every moment. I have found that fear can cripple us or take us deeper into relationship and trust in Jesus. How beautiful is this perfect love that casts out fear.
