Love and fear

Many psychologists believe that humans have two primal emotions being love and fear, and all other emotions are just subcategories of these. For example, where there is love the emotions present are peace, joy, contentment, serenity and forgiveness, while on the fear side we have anxiety, sadness, depression, fatigue, judgement and guilt. We cannot feel both at once; in the same way that light removes darkness, love removes fear. 

“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 4:18, NIV)

In the bible fear has two meanings. The first type, which is the most common, has more of a meaning of reverence, awe and a respect for God’s power and glory but also a respect for his wrath and anger. We know there are consequences for our actions and the wrong choices we make, so some amount of fear is a good thing. 

It’s having the correct balance between these two emotions that is important. I think of the love/fear balance like the 80:20 rule: 80% love and that 20% fear in the background that keeps our human nature in check. 

The second type of fear is the bad one. This is the fear referred to in 2 Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV). The spirit of fearfulness and timidity does not come from God.

Rather, God wants us to look to Him for confidence and strength. The psalmist writes, “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:11, NKJV)

Also in the Psalms, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4, NKJV)

The phrase ‘fear not’ appears 365 times in the Bible so it’s an important message. Keep these two words in mind the next time you feel fearful.