Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
The first time I sat down with Vanessa, she patiently listened as I told her about how anxiety had dominated my thoughts for months. She responded to my vulnerability with a simple yet piercing question: “What does the perfect love of God mean to you?”
She was referring to 1 John 4:18:
“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear…” (NLT)
While I don’t know if I will ever fully grasp the depth and gravity of God’s love for me (for us), I have come to one pivotal realization after thinking more deeply about her question: For years I have known that God loves me, but I haven’t actually been living as a loved person. That truth lived in my mind, but it never quite made its way down to my heart.
For the past decade, anxiety has been an on and off struggle. It reached an all-time high during the pandemic, when I was confined to a tiny Los Angeles apartment with three children under the age of four (more of that another day).
Since then, I’ve allowed fear to dictate so much of my life— the risks I’m willing to take, my willingness to try new and difficult things, the places I feel safe. As I let anxiety set the parameters for my life, those boundaries grew smaller and smaller, holding me back from growth and from experiencing life to the fullest. This is not the life God wants for me.
You see, anxiety feeds us the lie that we are safer right where we are— on the ground, unmoving, shrinking our lives so that we avoid any risk. It clouds our vision. It holds us captive.
But God’s perfect love sets us free.
We are free from fear of the future.
His love is the assurance that He is with us at all times, never leaving us. It reminds us that no matter what valleys lie ahead (even the places we fear the most) His perfect love will keep us safe, prepare us, and give us strength to face whatever comes our way. It means that no matter what, we can trust that He has good plans for our lives. Romans 8:28 reminds us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
So when the wind and waves arise and tumultuous seasons come, we can be confident in the power of His love. It is our anchor in the unsteady waves. If God is for us, what can be against us?
We are free from the need to strive.
This one is especially personal for me. I know I am stepping out of God’s love when I begin striving to measure up and feel like I am enough. I know I’m stepping out of His love when I try to control and fix things in my own strength, no longer surrendering to His (good) plans for my life. I know that I’m also not receiving His love when I seek approval from others or try to find joy in places apart from Him. God’s love is a free gift—one that I must choose to receive every day.
We are free from condemnation.
If shame, past regrets, and failures define us, we are not living in God’s love. God sent Jesus to die for our sin and our shame. It is finished. We are no longer bound to sin and shame. We are forgiven. God’s love not only comforts us, but allows us to walk in freedom and confidence.
Lastly, we are free to love others.
Our past hurts and wounds can make it difficult to love those around us. But in God’s love, we can be fully healed from those hurting places. When we experience this, we are compelled to extend that love to others.
I am still sifting through my fears and emotions. Anxious thoughts and worries still arise, but I am learning, day by day, to live in God’s love and grace. As I accept His gift and walk in this truth, I am slowly beginning to feel the freedom He desires for all of us to live in.
If you are struggling with any fears and worries, I pray that you would cling to His promises and love. I pray that you would walk in confidence that He is with you, will never leave you, and has good plans for your life.