Do you want to be a better lover of the Lord and of people? The scripture below gives us a solution to a mature love.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1 John 4:17-19
Perfect love casts out fear. The question is what are you afraid of? In those places that fear has a grip, I need the Lord’s perfect love to give me assurance that He is with me. This could be in areas that I have closed myself off to new ideas or revelation.
Sometimes we use our childhood as a reason for not believing or trusting God. We do this because we believe we didn’t have the perfect earthly example. This is an excuse that keeps us in agreement with what happened to us in the past. If Jesus has made us new, it means our past is the past and should not have the power or control that it had on us when we didn’t know Him. He can even give us a new understanding or a new perspective on the past.
Did you know the most important agreement you will ever make is to stay loyal to your covenant with the Lord? If anything comes to compete with that relationship, it must be moved and placed in its proper place. I can’t withhold things against the Lord. If I do, those will be the places that I will not trust Him in my life. I have to live a life of surrender and have a child like faith. I must allow Him to wash my feet when they get dirty with the issues of life. I want to always have a part with Him. I cannot be at odds with my Jesus, or sooner or later it will surface in one form or another. I need to keep my heart tender. I need to believe Him when He speaks to me and take what He says seriously. It’s not optional! I must listen carefully to His leading.
Many times the fear of the unknown or the fear of getting hurt again keeps us in the bondage of not loving. The scripture tells us:
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. (1John 3:14)
Love produces life, but if we don’t love we stay in death. Isn’t that powerful!? So many times we just want to do more for God, but what God is looking for is for us to do everything with love in our hearts for God and one another. It is the quality of what we give of ourselves that matters to God. Love is the precious metal that when the test of time and fiery trials come, it lasts. Love cannot get burned up. Love will continue to speak and change lives because it is the seed of life.
Fear tries to justify why it can’t love. It screams about the injustice or the hypocrisy. It points fingers at others and places the blame on somebody else. Perfect love changes us and puts us in a giving position with our arms wide open. Love is generous. It has a big heart. It doesn’t take things personally. Love knows what she offers is good, so she doesn’t apologize for it. She doesn’t doubt that what she gives is good. She doesn’t let the enemy accuse her or condemn her of not giving enough or not doing it right. Love doesn’t expect perfection from others but wants to be perfected.
Love is a pursuer and is not afraid of rejection. Perfect love wants to reach and pursue others. It looks for what it can encourage. It doesn’t look for lack. It doesn’t expect a return. It doesn’t take things personally.
The Lord wants to stop the torment by believing in His love, and in the process we become His agents of love to a world that is tormented by guilt and shame. We must face our fears. There is no other way to grow in love unless we deal with our fears.