The United States has more cases of extreme mental disorders per capita than any other nation. Statistics reveal that one of every twenty Americans can expect to be institutionalized for mental illness, and one family in five will be touched by mental disorder. Those who spend their lives trying to determine the reason for these frightening statistics say that the most frequent cause of mental illness is fear. Frankly, Americans are terrified.
All fear is not bad. One kind of fear motivates us, keeping us from jumping off buildings and burning ourselves to death. This fear, which keeps us physically and spiritually healthy, is the fear which moved Noah to build the ark. It is the "fear of the Lord." However, another kind of fear dominates us, and it is destructive. It literally drives men crazy, tormenting them and making them live in constant dread. This fear takes a heavy toll in heart attack victims, suicides, and alcoholics. It must be conquered if man is to know peace.
As always, the answer to this problem is in God's Word. John said the antidote for fear is perfect love. As we learn to love Christ more and actualize that love in our relationships with people, fear is crowded from our lives: but perfect love casts out fear. Even some believers have not yet learned to live without fear. John patiently told them: But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. As we continue to expose ourselves to the Lord, love begins to force out nagging and destructive fears.
“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”
1 John 4:18 NLT
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