Real Hope: No Fear in LoveSample

Love

Fear is an emotion that we experience to tell us when we are in danger. There is a healthy fear that keeps us safe and teaches us we don’t have to put ourselves in harm’s way to enjoy life. For example, we don’t have to experience being burned to understand and learn how to enjoy a fire on a cold evening without being injured.

However, there is another type of fear that is unhealthy. This fear happens when we are actually safe but remain anxious without cause. The people reading John’s letter had an unhealthy fear of being punished by God for the wrong things they had done. John had discovered that God’s love was able to push this old way of fear-based belief out of his heart and mind. He wanted all people to discover the love of God he’d found.

Because of our faith in Jesus, we are forgiven and as a result, are able to step into God’s love. It’s like being a child held in a loving parent’s arms – as all the wrongs done are forgiven by the parent, there is no need for the child to fear. Love completes the work of casting any fear of punishment away and allows the parent and child to have an open and loving relationship.

I often need to remind myself of this amazing gift of love and perhaps you do too.

Written by KATH HENRY