| “There is no fear in love.” |
| —1 John 4:18a |
We do a pretty good job of putting on a brave front. However, in the core of our beings, most of us have a list of things of which we are afraid. These things, whatever they are, from time to time make us full of fear. Do you know what makes you fearful? I am all too keenly aware of my fears.
You see just about 40 years ago, my personal care physician, concerned about my morbid obesity—that’s a polite term for someone who is ghastly overweight or, in my case, strikingly fat—referred me to a psychiatrist to see if he could uncover the deep psychological reasons for my “weight problem.” In other blog posts, I’ve recounted my eighteen months of therapy that ended when the psychiatrist fell asleep during one of our counseling sessions. I did not have an “Eureka” moment and suddenly shed pounds. In fact, as I have also recounted previously, I eventually grew my weight to a truly deadly 557 pounds and became hospitalized at Christmastime in 2005 for congestive heart failure.
Fortunately an open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery in July of 2006 resulted in a weight loss of 237 pounds. So, while I am a shadow of my former self, I’m still, to this very day, cast an enormous shadow.
The psychiatric counseling did not disclose any one cause for my obesity. But, I did learn a great deal about myself. I know that I am so starved for human love and acceptance—stemming from an unreasonable sense of abandonment by my birth mother—that virtually no amount of human love and caring, no matter how genuine, will ever satisfy my “needs.” I also learned that because of experiences I have had from a very young child in relating to other people, I have an overwhelming distrust of others that prevents me from forming the normal bonds of friendship that most people enjoy.
As a result, among my many fears, I have a fear of not belonging that promotes me to behave in ways that pushes away the very people I dearly want to love and accept me. Fear is a very powerful foe. And, the only power that can dispel fear is God-breathed—agape—love. This knowledge prompted the Apostle John to write these words in 1 John 4:18:
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.
I have no idea what fears may plague your life. I also know from my own experience that you may not even be aware of the fear that is controlling a part, or all, of your life. But, I do know for an absolute certainty that the more we surrender to God’s love, the more our fear will be driven away.
If I may, I would like to suggest that we prayerfully open our hearts, minds, souls, and strength to God’s love this day. The more we do, the more “real” we will become; the more “whole” we will become; the more like our Savior we will become; and the more God’s love will cast out our fears. And that, dear ones, will be very good, indeed.
Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, January 28, 2016
