Fear or Love?

^{1John 4:18}
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

When I allow fear to come into my relationships there is a disconnect that takes place. I become scared and I allow myself to build a huge wall between me and the other person. There are times when I don't even know that I was scared, until I realize that my heart has become disconnected from that person.

How can I tell that I am disconnected? I stop allowing myself to be honest. I no longer trust that person to hear my innermost thoughts... I no longer want that person to see who I am... they might hurt me. Typically the reason that wall is put up in the first place is because they have hurt me. They hurt me and I chose not to be honest about it... I put up a wall instead.

I frequently struggle with fear and love in my relationships. What will I choose... fear or love? I just went through this in my relationship with Michael. I had a wall up and it was keeping me from getting to experience genuine relationship with him. I was scared... and fear does not allow for love to exist. I had to choose to be honest with him even though it was scary and that created the opportunity for love to come back in.

Victory! Haha thank you God for the victory! I want to be open and vulnerable in my relationships. I want to choose love over fear. It feels amazing! The connection that is experienced is worth the fight... after all it's your heart that is being fought for. I am really blessed to have a man in my life that will fight for my heart with me. He's not okay with me putting a wall inbetween us and will help me in tearing that sucker down. I'm learning so many amazing things in my relationship with Michael and I am always so excited to get to share these experiences and implement them in my other relationships.

Love does not allow for fear to exist.
I choose LOVE.