The verse "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" 1 John 4:18 has always baffled me.
It seemed the more I loved people, the more I began to fear it. For, people that I loved or wanted would let me down, making it harder each time to open up my heart.
Fear and I go way back. It was practically an imaginary friend. Fear told me to not trust the dark, and to never go alone. Fear told me to hold back. Fear told me don't love because you might not receive it in return.
Fear became so close to me. Fear was so near that I wondered if love was even possible.
Fear, I resented. Fear held me back. I tried to turn my back on fear, but I had failed to truly embrace courage.
I used God as my security blanket. Instead, of being filled with the rich love of the Lord, and letting that be an outpouring of my life. I barricaded my heart. I was content in the Lord yes, but I was selfish with his love.
Using God as a security blanket is indeed selfish. Then, I realized something. Fear is selfish, too. If you struggle with clinical anxiety, I'm not talking about you. But I am talking about those of us that make security an idol. That, my friends, is what hinders love.
In this light, the verse makes perfect sense. Love is bold and brave. Love means getting out of your comfort zone. Love means loving even if there is a chance that you won't be loved in return. There is no fear in love because in it's purest nature love is selfless.
Now, this doesn't mean we should abandon all wisdom. I'm not saying recklessly give your heart away. No, trust God to show you how to love...the verse goes on to say that "We love because he first loves us." God fills us with every need. God is the best friend you could ever have, He is the best spouse, and He is an almighty God. He has everything we need, and that should make us brave.
So why doesn't it? Contentment in the Lord means being okay with being alone, but it also means being brave when your not.
So, let us not forget to remember that God called us to love, and to be so content with his love that we can love without fear.
