Welcome back! If you are just joining us, we are using the YouVersion Bible App to follow a devotional together. Read THIS POST to get all the information you need to join in and then you can read THIS MORNING’S POST to see the promises we are focusing on this week.
All the promises this week come from 1 John which is a book filled with teachings on love. It speaks of God’s goodness and how we should live as believers in Christ. If you’ve never taken the time to soak in the words of this book I encourage you to do so! Every verse is convicting, encouraging, and powerful. But which verse did I pull out this week to focus on?
Trust My love is perfect and your fears will melt away. 1 John 4:18-19
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us. ”
Do your children obey you because they love you or because they fear the wrath that will down on them if they disobey? I think as parents we want our children to obey us because they understand that following our instructions and rules shows us respect and in turn, love. But how often are they doing their chores because we threaten them with an, “or else!” ?
I’m guilty of it. I’ve done the whole, “pick up these toys or they go in the trash” bit. It eventually gets the job done but I am typically frustrated by the end and they aren’t responding in love and respect but in fear of losing something they love. I’m working on it. God is working on me. We are finding new ways to motivate our children that don’t involve fear or intimidation. It’s not a healthy dynamic for anyone!
Our Heavenly Father is the same. He loves us deeply! He wants us to serve Him and obey Him out of love, not out of fear. Have you grasped out great His love is for you? Or do you still wonder what bad things are coming down the pipe because you sinned yet again. We don’t need to fear punishment -Christ took ours on the cross – or death – we have eternal life in Christ – because He loves us so completely.
When you feel fear creeping in and threatening to overtake you declare the love of God over the fear. Zephaniah 3:17 says, “With his love he will calm all your fears.” Not with his thunderous voice or with a lightening strike from heaven but with his love. Have faith that His love is enough to conquer every fear that could overtake you.
Father God, thank you for your perfect love! We have done nothing to deserve your love but you give it freely and abundantly, day after day. I ask that you would open our eyes and hearts to the love you show us so that we can in turn love others with the same unending and undeserved love. When fear becomes to creep in give us the strength to claim your love over the fear. In your mighty name, Amen.
What fears do you need God to calm right now? How do you use God’s love to calm your fears?
