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Defeating Fear
“There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear. So then, love has not been made perfect in anyone who is afraid, because fear has to do with punishment.” (1 John 4:18 GNT)
I have two dear friends that have no worries. They are not financially rich, but they are rich in the Spirit. I admire their love of God. They have absolute confidence in Him and His provision for them and their families. I love God but, I also have worries. I have a son with autism that will likely never speak complete sentences or have a job to support himself. I worry about his future when I am gone. I do not want to put a large burden on his sister, and I am very hesitant for him to be in a group home where he may be abused.
I have to remind myself of the endless love that God has for all of His children. My son will truly always be a child at heart and mind and as such I know he will one day enter heaven. Matthew 18:3 tells us “And He said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
My son has an inner innocence and kindness to him. He has no fear. He only gives and receives love. His vocabulary is limited so he has never professed Jesus as his Lord and savior, but I know that Jesus wants the children to come to him – children of all ages.
We can all take our fears and cast them on God. Once we focus on thoughts on God and His love for us, we become confident of our present and future. I realize how much God loves me and my son and in turn it is my joyful response to share His love with others. There are many opportunities and ways in which we can share God’s love. For some, it may be to join the choir. For others, it may be to help maintain and beautify the grounds of the local church. For me, it is to write and speak about my challenges and how I have yoked myself to Him to share my burden. I was comforted during my divorce by older men that had already gone through a divorce. I was comforted during the flood of my house by a close friend that quoted Isaiah 43:19 to me. I will always believe that God was speaking to me but was using my friend’s tongue.
God is love and wants good for all of us. His light will always conquer the darkness in our hearts and minds, if we let Him in. Faith and trust are essential to opening our hearts. If He loved us so much to send His son to die for our sins, He certainly loves us enough for us to leave our burdens with Him and then walk away with confidence that we are in His hand and there is no better place to be. Consider the words Jesus left with his disciples immediately following the Last Supper. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27). We are His disciples. Let our hearts not be troubled and let us not be afraid.
Prayer: Dear God we live in a fallen world and we have so many worries about ourselves and our loved ones. Help us to give these worries over to you and to not take them back. We know that You have plans to prosper us and not to harm us. We know that You have plans to give us hope and a future. We thank you for your tremendous love which we cannot even begin to fully comprehend. Please help us cast out the fear in our lives and replace it with the confidence that can only come from your love.
Meet the Author
Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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