Love and fear

"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 him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in the world we are like him. 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

Oh, how I love John. The first Bible study I ever did was of his gospel, where I officially accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. His words are so deep, just like the love he had for God. I think knowing that God really loves you is the most life-changing truth on earth. And John focuses on this love through his writing. I've read this passage time and time again, and tonight as I listened to a sermon about guilt and regret, I came back to it.

What an icky feeling. Regret. I've felt and experienced it lately after going through a difficult transition back to life in the U.S. When I was hurting and confused, I blamed myself. I blamed myself for making the decision to come back and for bringing those challenges and feelings upon myself. This isn't the first time I felt as though I had made my bed so I should lie in it. The real problem, as God showed me, was not if I had made the right decision, but how I was feeling about it.

I want to pull out verse 18 from above: "But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment." To be totally honest, I never understood this really, especially the punishment part. Whenever I think about the fears I have, and how Love has driven them out or how I want Him to, I don't think about punishment. It's just not something I've ever felt scared of. I believe that Jesus paid the ultimate price for my sins so I will not be punished (Hallelujah!). So, in my case, how does fear have to do with punishment?

If I continue to live in regret and guilt, regretting decisions I've made or feeling guilty about the way I handled a situation, I am basically saying I deserve punishment. When I am regretful of something, I am believing that things are the way they are because of what I did and therefore I must suffer through it. I think God is telling me through His word that this mindset is not right and is not of Christ. Not only did He set me free from eternal damnation, but He also set me free from feelings like these.

This was a wake-up call to me tonight because I have never thought about the damage I am doing to myself. I never thought I was punishing myself, but that's exactly what I'm doing! And as God's precious daughter, I have no right to be passing judgment, especially on myself. Let me stop now and continue to move forward, trusting in God more than my own ability to make really great decisions so I'll never regret anything or feel guilty for not doing something. Let me live in the light and love of God instead of the in the regret and guilt of the evil one.

I encourage you, reader, to join me and let go of all regrets and guilt. Let them go to God because He can handle them. Then walk forward in bold confidence because when Christ died for you, He died to set you free! Totally. Completely. Forever and ever. Amen.