There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear because fear has torment. 1 John 4:18
What is love? Desire does what feels good for self in the moment, while love does what is best for another. Beyond that, selfless love does what’s best for another at any cost to the self. Is this the same as perfect love?
Not quite. Hear me out. I see perfect love as not only selfless, but unified, and together doing what’s best for all others every time. It can afford to be selfless because it isn’t alone. In other words, I can afford to love selflessly without fear because God the Father, the Son, the Spirit, and all heaven for that matter love me. Christ could be selfless toward us, because His Father and the Spirit loved Him in unison, and they love us in unison. They can each be selfless because they love each other together. Perfect love is perfect unity.
Perfect love like this will cast out any fear that’s causing torment. Only God’s love is perfect, purely selfless, unchanging in all conditions, infinite, self-generating, alive, and life-giving. It is constant no matter who you are or what you do, because it isn’t based on you. It’s based on God’s character.
God, thank you for loving us with your perfectly selfless and unified love. Please help us join you in loving others.
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