Fear holds us back from love. The tighter we cling to our fears, the more they separate us from God, from others, and from the world around us. Fear excels at exaggeration, making small issues look huge. Fear paints the worst possible scenario, then tries to convince us that the scenario is real. When we are afraid to love, fear has us all to itself. Wise teachers throughout the centuries urge us to develop the spiritual practice of letting go of fear. If we place ourselves within the love of God and live in the way of love, we cannot be permanently harmed even if we suffer—even if we die. Such trust in God we call faith. This is what the Scripture means by good news—the gospel!

God is our refuge and strength,
   a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
   though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
   though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Psalm 46:1-3)

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
   he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
   for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
   my whole life long. (Psalm 23)

Perhaps our greatest fear is that of being separated from God, the fear that God may reject us. Some people still believe that we must somehow prove ourselves worthy before God will embrace us. A big part of Jesus’ mission was to set the record straight. God is always eager to embrace us. We often won’t embrace God because of our fears and the behaviors that grow out of those fears. Jesus’ message to us is that we can believe in the love of God. We can lean on it, trust it, be a part of it. That is why Jesus came: to eliminate the separation from God that our fears cause.

God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. … So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he [God] first loved us. (1 John 4:9-19)

Become a part of love because in the end everything else “fades away.” Faith, hope, and love—not our fears—are real. God makes the first gesture by reaching out. In Christ, God willingly suffers to get the message across to us clearly.

Love never ends. … And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13)

The motivation for spiritual leadership is love. It’s not groping for attention and power because we are afraid we won’t be popular or the center of the universe. Nor is it endless striving to prove ourselves worthy because we are afraid God might reject or punish us. Our worthiness comes because God already loves and cherishes us. Striving for perfection is not about doing everything right without fail. Instead, it involves our trusting and participating in God’s love.

When we don’t recognize God and don’t open ourselves to the love available to us, when we put up barriers, lash out, or hoard in the attempt to protect ourselves from unreal fears, our lives can become a hell. Perhaps we carry those natural consequences into the next life and then continue to learn to let go of them there. Some things we do not fully know. I believe, however, that the hells we may endure are of our own making or are part of the fallout caused when others react to their own fears, rather than a hell that God desires or orchestrates.

Of course, fear can be good when danger is legitimate. It helps us be aware. Avoiding harm rings true to the commandment to love ourselves. Only fools put themselves in harm’s way for no good reason. However, we have a great propensity for latching on to self-protection based on unmerited fears that dissuade us from loving God, self, and the rest of creation. There are times when love truly calls us to suffer for the greater good. That is when people look for a spiritual leader to inspire them to faith, hope, and love, even in the tough times.

Spiritual Practice—Living the Lesson:
Make an honest assessment of your fears. What are your fears? Which of those fears play on your imagination? Where is love calling you to let go of a fear in order to do what is spiritually best? How are your fears hindering you from loving yourself, loving others, and loving God? How might you be spreading and infecting others with fear?

Notice your thoughts and reactions today. Ask God to help you let go of fears. Take some risks so that you might love where love is needed.

Focus for Journaling, Reflection, and Prayer:
Think about the fears and love you experience every day. How did the practice today open your eyes?

For Further Study:
Anchoring Your Well Being: Christian Wholeness in a Fractured World, by Howard Clinebell (Upper Room Books, 1-800-972-0433).

Prayer, Stress, and Our Inner Wounds, by Flora Slosson Wuellner (Upper Room Books, 1-800-972-0433).

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