Just a thought by coppi

 ”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 them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 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 ‭NIV‬‬

DEVINE love is PERFECT love and that is the love that casts out fear.  Not my love.  When St. John says that fear is driven out by perfect love, he points to a love that comes from God.  The perfect love about which St. John speaks, embraces and transcends all feelings, emotions, and passions. I gleaned this from reading a message of meditation from Henry Nouwen.

“Perfect love cast out all fear”.  I have read this scripture many times in my life, and have always been mentally defeated when I read “perfect love casts out all fear”.  I thought I had to be the one who had to overcome and be victorious. I knew that was an impossible task for me.  What I need to do is focus on God’s love for me, and ground myself in this His love. and not my own love which is swayed by my emotions.  I guess an analogy, for me, is when I pray for someone or something, I need to leave that burden of prayer in the hands of Jesus, and let that perfect-devine love take over. “Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there” – even the “Perfect love that casts out fear”.  For me, I need to focus on Jesus, who is the epitome of LOVE.

Just a thought by coppi