perfect love drives out fear...

1 John 4:18 says:

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear."

I don't know about yall, but I think that I am much more often driven by fear than I am by love. I think essentially that means that I am more driven by what I can see than I am by God.

Galatians 1:10 says "Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." Wow. That's a little hard to swallow.

Today I did something despite my fear and with the help of God. Essentially I reached out to a friend in a way that I felt led to do but that was way out of my comfort zone. I am terrified by what that friend is going to think. But I did it anyways.

I share this story not by any means to boast, because I promise that most days I cannot say the same thing. I am simply trying to remember this feeling...the feeling that comes with stepping outside of your comfort zone in obedience to God. It is terrifying but very rewarding. I think it reflects the way that God truly made us to live. We want adventure, purpose, a thrill...so we go to roller-coasters, movies, and dramatic relationships instead of to God. I really think He has a lot of thrills in store for us if we asked Him more often. Thrilling things to do for Him.

If you like to read and have some free time this summer, pick up a copy of In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson. It's really legit. But get ready to be challenged.

Until you read the book, the following quotes won't completely make sense. Just know that a lion chaser is essentially a Christian willing to take risks, and God calls us all to be lion chasers..to do things that He calls us to, trusting simply in His perfect power. I really liked what Batterson had to say:

"Lion chasers aren't afraid of conflict. They aren't afraid of risking their reputation by chasing snakes out of the temple. And they aren't afraid of risking their lives chasing a lion into a pit. They often look foolish while in the act. It almost seems like they have a death wish. But lion chasers have a life wish. They live life to the fullest because they are willing to look foolish."

I don't know of many times that I've thought to myself, "wow, I am so glad that I look like a fool right now. I am taking risks for God." Instead, it's more like "well, God, if you ask me to do this, I'll feel really dumb, surely you won't want me to feel dumb..." and then I wonder why I get bored with life at times? Maybe because I'm not always listening to God's crazy callings?

The fact is that God's perfect love drives out fear. He gave us His perfect love through the sacrifice of His son. We have nothing to fear. He has us exactly where He wants us and invites us on adventures with Him all of the time.

Batterson puts it this way: " God is in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time. That isn't just good theory. It is reality. I have an unshakable sense of destiny because I know that as long as I pursue God's calling on my life, then God is ultimately responsible for getting me where He wants me to go."

This is heavy stuff. Exciting stuff. If God is in us, if we have experienced His perfect love, we have NO reason to fear. He drives out any fear. Think about that. All of the things you have ever feared being driven out by his huge, merciful, perfect love. And he wants us to help Him show other people this as well, to show them His perfect love so that they too can experience a life without fear....Wow.

I need to chase lions more often.