Love Casts Out Fear

            Lately, I’ve been crippled—by the unknown and my inability to fully plan out my life.

            Fear has crept in like a thief in the night and stolen my joy, my peace. It’s done this before, but this time has been a little different—I forgot how to combat fear this time around. I neglected to take my eyes off the storm so I stayed in the boat. I decided to stay in a wooden boat being tossed about by the raging storm rather than step out onto the rocky waves that don’t even faze the One calling me out upon the waters; He walks peacefully while I cling on for dear life.     

    

           I know it sounds counter-intuitive for me to stay in a boat that could fall apart at any second, but at least it’s known, safe for now.            

Many times we stay in this figurative boat because in that space, we have control. We know that if we keep scooping the water out, the boat just might stay afloat, but in reality, we’re sinking little by little.

            The problem with staying in our boats is that we think we can control everything and that we think we’re supposed to have everything figured out on our own. This is a complete lie, and the source of this belief is, many times, fear. At least for me it is. We fear stepping out onto the waves because all we see are the crashing waves and a potential way to drown. Yes, we know that God is out there walking and pleading for us to trust Him, but our eyes get stuck to the white, raging foam billowing up from the riptide. John 10:10 states "The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, but I (Christ) have come that they may have life and have it to the full" (NIV). Fear that rips at you is not from Christ; it is from the Evil One. Christ hasn't come to cripple you but to give you life. Fear is a lie. 

            Don’t let this happen to you because as a child of God, you are loved, and perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18). When we realize who we are in Christ, we know that we are loved beyond our comprehension. No, God doesn’t love us like we love chocolate (and I love chocolate a lot!); He doesn’t love us like we love our significant other or friend. No, He doesn’t even love us as much as our parents love us or they love their children. He loves us much, much more. His love is perfect. It keeps no records of wrong; it is patient and kind. When you realize how much you are loved by God, you will leap out of the boat. No, this doesn’t mean you’ll never fail or face fear again, but the more you get to know Him and dwell in His presence the more loving and obeying Him becomes second nature—fear disappears.

            When we let God’s love wipe away our tears, our false beliefs about ourselves, our past failures, our guilt, and our shame, we begin to learn more about His heartbeat. When we let the Spirit overwhelm our lives, it is then that we see fear vanish and walking on water with Jesus much more solid than staying in a boat we really couldn’t control in the first place.

Living Life Together,

Rebecca Thomas