God's Love is Perfect!

1 John 4:18-19  "There is no fear in love.  But perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

Wow!  Am I sure not perfect!  Overcoming fear of punishment is something I continually struggle with.  Whenever I do something wrong, I think I'm more concerned and scared about whether or not I will get in trouble with people than I am about the wrong thing I did and displeasing Him Whom I love.  That is not right!

Not that I am not sorry for whatever it might be.  But, I get all worked up because of the fear of punishment.  I'm supposed to not be worried about what 'man' can do to me.  Hmmm.

I am trying to get to the bottom of why I do this, with the Lord's help.  I know all the intellectually correct answers, but I know the truth hasn't found its way throughout the deep recesses of my heart yet. 

Today, as I've been thinking and praying about this, I realized it is a symptom of unbelief.  I am not believing God's Holy Word as I should.  It is His promise that I am forgiven  (1John 1:9; Eph. 1:7-8).  It is His promise that He will never leave me or forsake me (Joshua 1:5,9; Hebrews 13:5b).  It is His promise that He will help me (Hebrews 13:6; Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 121).  He never said he would only help me if I never sin or make a mistake.  So I should be able to walk in CONFIDENCE.  

I need to whip out these promises and stand on them when the accuser plagues my mind w/ my sins and/or mistakes.  Or, when I'm beating myself up, which I have a bad habit of.

I hope, as I get into the new study, that I will grow in all these areas.  That is my sincere prayer.  I'm on a journey, and it's in progress.  I'm so glad He's promised to see me through to completion (Phil. 1:6)!!!

I am intent on VICTORY and FREEDOM!!!

So many Christian blog posts seem to be about how a problem concluded and is over.  I don't find that mine get 'over' so much as that I just keep growing.  But I press on...