Thoughts for Thursday: Perfect Love Casts Out 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]
 
Fear.  No one likes to talk about it; perhaps because talking about it makes it feel more real to us.  I had a beautiful study this morning with some of my Women of the Chapel ladies.  As we sip our coffees and share amazing recipes, I think each of us is hoping, praying that the Spirit would work in us to stir one another up and to encourage one another in our weakest, most vulnerable moments.

The Lord undoubtedly worked among us today to break down barriers, to cast out fear; and ladies, it was amazing.  You see, it's difficult as a military spouse to be moving around frequently and develop close friendships.  It's even more difficult sometimes as a sister in Christ to go beyond that to levels of deep, trusted, vulnerable fellowship.  In other times, it's amazing to see the almost immediate connection you can have with other believers when the body of Christ comes together.

So what keeps us from sharing? from being vulnerable? from trusting other sisters whether we've known them for two weeks or two years?  My dear friends, I think it's fear.  Yes--we have all been stomped by putting ourselves out there, but I think the enemy uses that stomping, that previous hurt, to keep us from trusting even among the body of believers.  Is there a chance we can be hurt by sharing our deepest hearts, our "silliest" ideas?  Yes, but to assume that will undoubtedly happen is to live in the bondage of the lies of the enemy.

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." [Galatians 5:1]

Sisters, we are free.  Free to live without fear.  (I need to say this to myself in the mirror each morning. Perhaps I'll start that.)  I definitely live in fear, believing the lies, but all I know is that sitting with beautiful sisters this morning, His perfect love cast out the fear, and we were vulnerable, and broken, and because of it we were able to more clearly gaze upon the magnificent beauty of our Father.


Linking up with Annie and Natalie for Thoughts on Thursday.