And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. – 1 John 4:17 NLT

Shakespeare wrote about it, artists have expressed it in a rainbow of colours, men have penned songs to declare it and women dream of finding it. Love. Ah the age old question (and also a great 90’s tune) — “What is love?” 1 John 4:18 tells us that ‘perfect love casts out all fear’ – the Greek word that John uses for ‘perfect’ (teleioo) does not mean ‘flawless’ here, rather the word generally means ‘finished’ or ‘accomplished’. When something, like a trip or an assignment, attains its goal, it is said to be “perfected”. If we are fearful, it is a sign that we are not living in this ‘perfected’ love of God; a love complete and wanting for nothing. In the same chapter a couple of verses before, the writer points out that in order for us to know this perfect love that frees us from our fears, we need to abide in God — take up full residence in Him as if he were a house where every room is occupied. God is love and as we abide in love, love abides in us. If this ‘perfected’ (well-formed) love abides in us then there is no longer any room for fear. Our challenge is to allow God’s love to drown out the noise of our fears. What will we turn the volume up on? When we are overwhelmed by life, when the future seems uncertain, when people cause us to feel that we are any less than what God says about us, we must turn the volume up on His love, and allow His Word to guard our hearts from wandering into the land of doubt and despair by reminding us of His truth — Romans 8:31 “What can we say about all this? If God is for us who can be against us”. What does abiding in His love look like? Perhaps it’s as simple as being conscious of God’s love by writing down the times He has drawn close and spoken to you. Recall the moments He has answered your prayer, times when you have experienced random acts of kindness or generosity, even times when you have been encouraged. Philippians 4:8 tells us to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. In other words, our focus shouldn’t be on the things we fear. As we do this, and as we become more conscious of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, we allow God, outworked in love, to accomplish His work within us – all fear removed.

– Young & Free