Faith, hope, and love

So these three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the best one of these is love.
(1Co 13:13)

I was having lunch with my friends Chris and Kevin the other day and we were talking about hard times that are upon two-thirds of us. We've all seen hard times before, and over the years we've learned to trust God more and more through them. His past deliverances speak hope into our current problems. That's the way it works.

But I was reflecting on the fear I still felt having to face yet another crisis - one of the fears being that I lose heart again just before God rescues me. But what seems even worse - remaining full of faith past the point where I've lost faith before... and God NOT rescuing me just yet, but rather leaving me hanging, waiting, the dull ache of desperation lingering.

I got to thinking about nature of the whole "transaction" - I hold out HOPE that God will rescue me like He has done in the past, and I take risks in FAITH (confidence) that the hope will be realized in His perfect timing (so I can brag about Him and His powerful, timely, poetic deliverance and not about my own smarts & skills). But something is missing... why am I still feeling the fear?

No fear exists where his love is. Rather, perfect love gets rid of fear, because fear involves punishment. The person who lives in fear doesn't have perfect love.
(1Jn 4:18)

God didn't give us a cowardly spirit but a spirit of power, love, and good judgment.
(2Ti 1:7)

No fear exists in LOVE. God didn't give us a spirit of fear, of cowardice. So who did give it? Oh... the enemy of faith, hope, and love. And perfect love gets rid of fear...

So I pray, "Oh God, fill my heart, my soul, my being with your love. I hope in you. I take face the risks before me in confidence of who you are, remembering what you have done (and what you promise to do). But I desperately need more of your love in me. Vanquish the fear that lurks, that tries to sneak in (and, to be honest, has snuck in). Help me to avoid a life of me-centered fear and instead radiate others-centered love through the power of your Spirit. Amen."