Let God’s Love Save You from Fear
By Rick Warren
“Save me from the insults I fear . . . I want to obey your commands . . . Show me how much you love me, Lord, and save me according to your promise. Then I can answer those who insult me” (Psalm 119:39-42 GNT).
The fear of rejection comes from all directions: your marriage, your family, your parents, at school, at work, from former friends, from disappointments, from criticisms, from just a look. We even have the expression, “If looks could kill.” Have you ever seen one person manipulate another by simply raising an eyebrow?
That’s the fear of rejection! And it can hinder your life in many ways.
The fear of rejection prevents us from giving and receiving love. Past hurts prevent future relationships. We sometimes say, “I got burned on a hot stove. I’ll never touch it again!” And then we apply that to relationships: “I got burned in a marriage. I’ll never get married again!” The problem is, people are not stoves. They change.
Our fear of rejection is based on two things —
First, we all need to be loved. That’s a fact. We do. We all desperately need massive doses of love in our lives to be healthy individuals. God says, “I want to love you.” The Bible says God is love. We need to be loved. And God says, “I want to love you.”
Second, we falsely believe that other people should meet every need in our lives. When we expect somebody else to meet all our needs, we set ourselves up for hurt. We’re setting ourselves up for rejection.
We can choose to put God in first place, because he’s the only one who can ultimately meet all our needs.
Does God ever love us through other people? Of course. Does God want us to love others? Yes. Does he want to use us as channels of love? Absolutely.
But you will never have all your needs met by any person or group of people. God never meant it to be that way. They just don’t have enough love because human love is limited. But God’s love is unlimited and unconditional. No matter how deep your need is, God can fill it. And he never runs dry.
Play today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
- Where do you usually turn to meet your need to be loved?
- How have you let your experiences with people cloud the way you view God’s love?
- What need do you have today that only God’s love can fill?
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Take brave new steps in your journey toward hope!
Life can leave you feeling hopeless. People across all generations are struggling with grief, relational conflict and financial burdens. Millions of people are overwhelmed with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, PTSD, and other mental health issues. Establishing a daily practice of accessing hope is essential to moving toward better health.
Our vegan leather Journey Toward Hope guided experience journal is designed to inspire hope by connecting you with five profoundly hopeful Biblical affirmations.
The full-color pages are filled with Scripture, practical exercises, prayers, space to reflect, and personal stories to inspire and encourage you.
Journey Toward Hope is our thank you for your donation below to help share Daily Hope with the world — so request your copy when you give. And God bless you for your generosity!
This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.