“I just feel like I have no faith,” she said. “I mean, I know what I believe; I know all the truths about Jesus. But I feel scared. I doubt my life, I worry, I don’t feel peace. I don’t know where my faith is anymore.”
Have you ever felt this way? Like all the pieces are in place for your walk with the Lord, but you feel as though something is missing? Like maybe you need a GPS to find your faith again — not that you don’t have your Faith with a capital F. But more that you are looking for that feeling of faith, that surrender and hope and knowing that God has it all in his hands?
I’ve discovered something lately, and it’s a perspective on the world that sort of blew my mind. It’s this: Humans are not faith-less people.
I know that sounds crazy, but think about it — we always put our faith in something. Our faith is in one of two places. We either have faith in love, or we have faith in fear. There is no in-between.
Allow me to explain.
If our faith is in love, our faith is in God. Because God is love — he is also hope, peace, forgiveness, patience. All those things describe love, don’t they? The root of all those things is love, they are all the fruit of love, and God is love. He isn’t just described as love; he IS love.
So if our faith isn’t in love, it is in fear. The opposite of love. Think of any other place we can find ourselves that isn’t love — anger, abandonment, judgment, hatred, disappointment — the list of emotions goes on. But the root of all of these things is fear. We are either growing or decaying; we are either putting our faith in love or our faith in fear.
Perfect love casts out all fear — almost all of us know this truth, but the power behind it still blows me away. All of my angst today, all of my worry, or my anger or my despair or my doubts. All of those fears can be surrendered over to love. God wants so badly for us to be free from pain and sadness and worry that he invites us into his warm embrace and gives us his abundant love as a “weapon” against not only all of our fears, but the fears of everyone around us as well.
Even if I have surrendered my day over to Love, and have chosen to place my faith in love today, I’m going to encounter a whole lot of people who have chosen the opposite, aren’t I? Either because of tragic or just uncomfortable circumstances or because it’s just plain habit — so much of the world around me is choosing fear right this very moment.
It can be overwhelming. And sometimes I feel like the bravest thing to do in a world of fear is to walk through it with nothing but love. The Love that only Jesus can pump through my veins, the kind that casts out anything that isn’t in love or from love.
I have much to learn about getting out of the way, surrendering all my fears and allowing Love to go before each of my steps. I’m learning that being Love-brave in a world of fear is effortless when my faith is where it needs to be. The wake behind my Love walk will be growth, healing, forgiveness and abundance. That was the wake Jesus left, wasn’t it?
So today, I want to see you be brave, too. Take stock of where your faith is — is it in love or is your faith in fear? Let’s be brave together. Let’s be love in a world of fear. Let’s be Love.
Leave a Comment
Bev Duncan @ Walking Well With God says
Arianne,
I used to be more of a slave to fear (worry, doubt, etc.). I’ve realized it’s not wrong to have these feelings – we all do at one point or another. God does not condemn us or disown us if fear creeps in. Instead He beckons to us (as only Love can do). He wants us to take those thoughts captive and flee to His loving arms. Only He can wipe out our fears, but in order to do so we need to bring them to Him. We need to, as you say, be brave. We don’t have to fight our battle with fear alone…”the Lord will fight for me, I need only to be still.” What comfort to know that we have a Lord who will fight for us – even our battle with fear. Thanks for this loving reminder this morning!
Blessings,
Bev
Penny says
Bev,
Your words meant a great deal to me, thank-you.
Penny
Arianne says
I’m so honored this post touched you all in such a personal way. Thank you for sharing your hearts! xoxo
Kellie says
Bev, Exodus 14:14 is one of my new FAVORITE verses! If I were to get a tattoo (doubtful) I would pick this verse! Being still in Him, releasing my fear for faith and love is an ongoing lesson.
Kristi Scorza-Sobieski says
amen ari. xo
Jamie Rohrbaugh says
“Perfect love casts out fear.” Yup. I used to be totally consumed by fear. I got to where I’d have panic attacks and couldn’t breathe, for no reason at all. I finally started sitting alone with the Lord and just meditating on His perfect love. I’d imagine it filling me up like I was a human-shaped bottle. It took awhile, but God healed me and filled me with that perfect love. I’m so thankful. Great words, great post. Thanks for encouraging us.
Tanis says
I really enjoyed reading this. It is so true that it takes a lot of courage and bravery to love- in a world filled with fear. I have always considered myself a loving person with a pretty big heart but to actually walk in Love we need to show that Love too not just keep it to ourselves selfishly. Bev, I liked what you said as well. It is not wrong to have those feelings of doubt, worry or fear- God doesn’t ask us to put on a brave face and pretend that the hurt isn’t real. But neither does He ask us to carry the emotions ourselves and try to deal with them on our own strength either. Bring them to Me, God asks. I need to learn to do that more often and more fully.
karyn says
Faith I suppose is ever seeking God for everything. In every single circumstance of our lives. No matter what. Good days and bad days. God put into the mind of the Porter to create Pollyanna, right. The good in all things are from the LORD. HE works out everything for HIS good. Good and bad.
Live life only for God’s goodness and nothing less than HIS goodness.
Love.
Do we not already possess this nature of the LORD if we are in HIS goodness and HIS will.
🙂
Denise says
Love your post Karyn!
Mary says
What helps me when I am fearful is remembering that God wants us, needs us to release our fear and worry, to really LET IT GO, because by doing so we radiate that faith and freedom to those around us, and are then able to love them fully. We are cooperating with God and creating the type of world that He would want for all of us! As a parent, I know that life will not be free of challenges for my child, but I always, always have his back. God has ours. How could we believe any less of Him?
Penny says
I love this Mary, well said.
Penny
Denise says
Agreed! Thanks Mary!
Penny says
Thank-you for reassuring us Arianne,
That when faced with fear we can overcome it , with love.
Penny
Robin Hurst says
Thank you, Arianne! I may come kicking and screaming to allow my heart to be consumed by God’s almighty power rather than my own self-strength. Yet, surrendering to his power and great love annihilates my fear. Why IS that so hard? I am learning to BE BRAVE!
Jeanne Bowser says
Me too, I’ m learning to be brave more and love more. Truly my God is faithful to walk through the valleys with me. He holds me in the palm if His hand My feet will not stumble. I encourage myself in Him when the fears try to come..resting in knowing He loves me all the time.
Kristin Waters says
Arianne,
I love, “We are either growing or decaying; we are either putting our faith in love or our faith in fear.” Those words are so bold – are we going to do (A) or (B)? It’s a concise way, while in the heat of the moment, to reflect on the larger issues at hand -are we going to move forward in love or stay stagnant in fear? Easier said than done, I am sure, when our faith is wavering – yet every time we are faced with a dilemma, we can all work on moving forward in love.
Kristin
Denise says
I really needed this today, thank you!!!!
Kathy says
I had to post this article to Facebook as it is so transforming in how we live…in fear or in love. All that Jesus offers is found in His wondrous love that spills out to others and finds our inner being exhibiting the fruits of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, humility and gentleness, to name a few. What a joy to be released from fear and enter into a faith in love.
Sheila says
Wow, thank you. Was just thinking & talking about this 5 minutes ago. Thank you. (Serious thanks).
karenbethc says
Thank you for sharing this lovely post 🙂
Angela Nazworth says
Ari, this is so beautiful. I needed the reminder that “We are either growing or decaying; we are either putting our faith in love or our faith in fear. ” I’m choosing love.
Abby says
This IS beautiful Ari:) You wrote my heart right into this post…seeing what is a choice and living the overcomer…all for Him:) I have wanted to be free from fear b/c it doesn’t feel good but that’s not the right reason. I want to abide in God as Jesus did and so be like Jesus is in this world. These are in the verses leading up to I John 4:18 & as I’ve been meditating on verses 14-18 it is transforming my perspective on how we come to this perfect love that casts out fear. It flows from our confession of Jesus as Son of God. I like to think of that as an on-going choice and my faith in His work that defeats the power of death & delivers us from slavery to fear (Rom 8, Hebrews 2:14-15) making it impossible to ever be separated from the love of God!! I can only really embrace this perfect love as I embrace & gaze on Jesus:)
Edwina Cowgill says
What a timely message for me! Thank you for this excellent encouragement!
Cynthia McGarity says
This is not only beautiful but it hit me between the eyes today. I’m living a season of “new.” And new, though full of opportunity, can be a fearful place for me. Thank you for encouraging a heart of Love instead of fear. I will call this post to mind in the next few weeks as my new becomes more and more a part of my life. Thank you for this blessing.
Beth WIlliams says
Arianne,
My husband has been a little consumed with fear of losing his job lately. So much so I believe he got a bit depressed. I sat with him and prayed for him. I also reminded him that God has always seen us through trials and He will see us through this one also. He needs to rest assured-(be brave) and trust that God will handle this situation.
Blessings 🙂