I am linking up for the Five Minute Friday. The FMF is hosted by Kate Motaung on her blog Heading Home. Today’s prompt is “Fear.” Write for five minutes; unedited.
“Lord have mercy”
Those are the only words I can seem to muster up as I heard about the shooting at the Emanuel AME church in Charleston last night. What has our world come to? Can we not feel safe in our own places of worship? Can we send our children to school without the fear that a shooter might come into their building? Can we not take the lessons we learned in Sunday School and share God’s love with ALL of God’s people?
When I hear these stories of violence in the world, I immediately feel fear. Because so often the media blames the violence on a person who is living with a mental illness. That maybe true…but not everyone who lives with a mental illness will resort to this violence. In fact, most of them will not resort to violence because they have gotten the proper treatment. Yet so many individuals are filled with fear because they do not understand. They do not understand that there is treatment. But more importantly, they haven’t asked the questions or learned about this very treatable illness.
Anyone who has read my blog knows that I am a daughter of someone who lives daily with a mental illness. She has taught me more about life and faith than I could ever imagine. She would literally give the shirt off of her back. She is a beautiful child of God who understands what it means to cast out fear.
“Perfect love casts out fear!”
And I truly believe that perfect love casts out fear! * God sent Jesus into the world for our sins. Jesus was never afraid to sit with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus was always breaking bread with the outcasts and the downtrodden. Jesus was a world changer and boundary crosser! Jesus hung on a cross and uttered the words “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Again “perfect love casts out fear!”
What if we followed Jesus’ examples? What if we stopped and truly listened to each other’s stories? Wouldn’t we see that when we love each other, fear is tossed to the wayside and joy and happiness boil to the top? Doesn’t God call us to show love to each other; to show love from all ends of the globe to the next?
“There is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18)
For perfect love casts out and conquers fear!
Last week, I wrote about Godly fear vs worldly fear. If you didn’t get a chance to read that post, here is the link: http://prayingontheprairie.net/godly-fear/
*This is where my five minutes ended. I told them at the Twitter Party that this would be one of those word prompts that would easily go beyond the five minute limit. Sometimes you just have to keep writing!
Tara, I know what you mean about the post going long. There are so many ways to come at FEAR. Five minutes is simply not enough! 🙂 I love that God addresses fear in so many different contexts. And always, He points us back to Himself for dealing with fear. Thank you for that reminder, and the reminder that perfect love casts out fear.
And thank you for the reminder to look beyond the surface of a person. SO important!
Thank you Jeanne!
In the end, grace – the grace we give, as well as that which we receive – is the only antidote for fear.
#6 on FMF today…and I did read the post you referenced…great stuff!
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2015/06/your-dying-spouse-20-fear-of-death.html
I love that…the grace we give, the grace we receive is the only antidote for fear. I am glad you read the other post too. Thanks Andrew!
Mental illness runs through my family and I'm in recovery for depression. It's very much misunderstood, and I agree that not everyone with mental illness results to violence. The AME church and the shooter have been in my thoughts and prayers since I heard about it. Lovely post, Tara!
Samantha, mental illness is so misunderstood and yep not everyone who lives with it results to violence. The AME church and the shooter have been in my thoughts and prayers too. Thanks for stopping by.
Tara,
thank you for including your link to your other post. Especially the Matthew 6:34 in the Message translation. It's so true. We can lose today focusing on the yesterdays or the tomorrows.
This "perfect love" passage was the first I thought on as well. So glad for your thoughts spread out in a delightful feast!
And thank you for the visit as always.
"we fear what we do not know". Perhaps that is why people are afraid to trust God. They don't know Him.
Love,
Tammy
Tammy, I am so glad you enjoyed the other post too. That very well could be why people dont trust God because they don't know him. Thanks for stopping by.
That scripture is my daughter's absolute favorite. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. His love and mercy and grace and kindness and compassion. And I agree, I could've written five different posts on this one word, FEAR! xo
Lovely song reference. That Scripture is such a great one. It would have been so easy to write five different posts on this word. Thanks for stopping by friend!
Hooo, girl. Yes.
My husband lives with clinical depression (it runs in his family) and wonders sometimes if he's not a little bipolar. I live with fierce anxiety that plunged me into a very dark place a few years back.
And neither one of us has ever hurt someone else.
I did not think about the events of this week from the angle of mental illness. We live in a very strange age that both embraces the mentally ill in the "if it feels good do it" attitude and shuns them when treatment is sought. It's tough to navigate.
Thanks Marie! It truly is tough to navigate.
Tara, such great thoughts here. I also wrote on perfect love casting out fear, and the power of the Gospel to transform what we thoughts was a lost cause. What's happened in Charleston is heartbreaking, and I echo your prayer to act with love and compassion.
Asheritah, thank you! You did indeed also write about perfect love casting out fear. Thank you for echoing my prayer with me!
Oh how I have to cling to verses like that in times like these! Your testimony is such an inspiration. I know it's tough, but the way you worship even in the darkest times is so incredible. God bless.
Natalie, thank you. And your words about me worshipping even in the darkest times mean a lot coming from you. God bless you too!
I appreciate your words here, Tara. Years of ministering to those who struggle with mental illness has taught me much. May God bless you as you continue to trust in His perfect love and live it out in your daily walk. Blessings!
Thank you, Julie! I didn't realize that you have ministered for years to those who struggle with mental illness. Blessings to you as well friend!
Thank you for sharing part of your story with us! there are many events beyond our comprehension and I believe this kind of evil breaks the Father's heart! Your words are reminder for me to pray for those families who are hurting today because of a man's poor choices!
Thanks Rachel! I too believe it breaks our Father's heart. I am praying for those families today too. Thanks for stopping by.
I was blessed with parents who taught me to love all people. As we got older and married, they decided to become missionaries and have served all over the world. When I hear things like last week's news, I feel so sad for the way people can have so much hate for one another. But I also have to remember that not everyone had the same upbringing as me. They have grown up in different shoes. I may not always understand it but I know I can show love to those I come in contact with each day.
I have trouble watching all of the news sometimes because I start to feel fearful. But I can't live with fear of the future. God is in control and I have to trust in Him.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this situation as well as your thoughts on mental illness, Tara!
I am glad that I was taught to love all people too! I too am sad for the people who have so much hate for the world. Yes, true, not everyone has had the same upbringing as us. I know what you mean about watching the news. I have felt that way many times too. God is indeed in control. Thanks for stopping by, Carrie!
I have been thinking of God's Love. The scripture "perfect love casts out fear" stays with me. It's time for meditation.
Thanks for stopping by.