Have you ever done something crazy for someone you loved? My guess is that you have. That’s because that is what love does. It makes us respond in a manner that goes above and beyond.
Love greatly overshadows fear and worry. It will give you the courage to do things you wouldn’t even consider doing otherwise.
For example, a few years ago I was brainstorming ways to propose to my girlfriend (which is now my wife). After spending several weeks thinking, I finally developed a plan. The only problem was that my plan required gaining permission and access to a privately owned gazebo located on some ritzy, privately owned property. And after doing some research I discovered the ritzy, privately owned property belonged to a successful doctor in the area.
Considering I was 19 years old at the time, cold-calling a successful doctor to ask for permission to use his gazebo on his private property would normally be an incredibly intimidating task.
To be completely honest, I was nervous, but the love I felt for my wife greatly overshadowed any worry associated with making that call. I had become so preoccupied with the desire to propose to my wife, that fear had taken a backseat.
This is because LOVE trumps FEAR – every time. In 1 John 4:18, God actually tells us that His perfect love removes fear.
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18
By fixing our eyes on Jesus we have the ability to become perfected in His love. We have the opportunity to align with God’s truth and reject the lies associated with fear.
I consistently struggle with fear. I battle fear every time I hit publish on a new blog post or speak to a group of 3 or more people. Fear begs me to keep my words to myself so that they never have the opportunity to help someone. Fear wants me to fear rejection. It wishes to terrify me with the possibility of being misunderstood.
If it weren’t for the incredible, conquering love of God I would listen to fear. I would fall for it hook-line-&-sinker and never take any steps forward. I would sit still and become complacent.
Thankfully, love isn’t complacent. And action done in love is fear’s worst enemy. Fear will keep you in the same spot, fearing an endless amount of worst-case scenarios, never succeeding and never failing—which is what true failure is.
[Tweet “Fear has plenty of excuses, but no solutions.”]So what is it that you are afraid to do? Where are you walking in fear? Are you too busy listening to fear that you can’t hear God’s voice calling you forward to action?
Instead of listening to all of the possibilities of failure, listen to the only voice that matters. If your eyes are fixed on Jesus, even when you don’t succeed you won’t experience failure; you will experience the love and grace of a God who is full of new opportunities.