Are you afraid of anything? I don't mean boogey-men, monsters under the bed, spiders (eeek!), or the dark. I mean deep down there is something that you know you just cannot face,some situation in your life that makes you ball up when you think of it. Sure you are. I am so I hope you are or I'm just a wuss.
Fear has kept me from doing something for a long time, something that needs to be done. Oh, I've already gone through the whole "God hasn't burdened me" thing. Funny how God gets more blame than glory most of the time. I have looked for any reason I can think of to get out of it but, the simple fact is, I must confront my fear. When, I don't know. The timing is up to God but I must commit to Him that I will take His opportunity when it comes. The real fear? The consequences.
We want guarantees, don't we? I admit I do. But faith isn't about guaranteed outcomes. Faith, real mountain-moving, God-glorifying faith is about knowing that the outcome is His. He will handle the details. Honestly, I am terrified of what will happen because my faith is that weak. I am ashamed. But neither I, nor you, should fear when we are trusting God. At church Sunday, the preacher said, "God wants to help you, not harm you." Those words rang in my ears for a while. I know this but it was as if he were saying it directly to me. What God wants for me will happen if I am faithful to Him and follow His guidance. The choices others make can affect that but He restores us. He doesn't throw up His hands and say, "Sorry. Didn't work out." No, no, no, no, no. He loves us. I repeat, He loves us. What He wants is for us to put our faith out there, take a step and watch Him work, regardless of the consequences.
Like Noah, Abraham, Moses, etc., follow Him and "He will direct our paths." Maybe, like me, you need to speak up. Maybe you have an ultimatum to give, or maybe you have to stop drifting and turn around and face God. It doesn't matter. He loves you. And He will not contradict His word, which says:
"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like Him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:16-18)
There you have it. "Perfect love drives out fear." No gray area there. It's His word, and that is absolute.
