From Fear to Love

What is one of the most common catalysts for hiding behind indifference or oppression? Fear.  When we feel fear, we have a primal instinct to hide, to protect ourselves, or to fight back. When we are afraid, we shift responsibility to others, we mask ourselves, we bully, and we withdraw from all the things that love asks of us: vulnerability, empathy, and sacrifice. Fear rips us apart and uproots the love that God installed as the foundational operating system of His world. A world where peace, joy, and hope flourish in His image-bearers and partners.

Here’s the thing, we don’t want to fear. It sort of just happens. Fear is our natural response to things that feel big, overwhelming, and unknown to us. We freak out with fear and subsequently hide. Maybe this is why one of the most repeated things God has said through Scripture is “don’t be afraid” or “fear not."