Amid the Coronavirus pandemic, a perfect storm is taking place. The spiritual storm systems of isolation and suspicion are joining with the fear created by an unseen and predatory virus. These influences are beginning to merge, creating a superstorm of unimagined strength and intensity. Unless we fight against the development of this perfect storm, we will be swept away by its powerful winds.

Scripture tells us, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (I John 4:18). Perfect is defined as “lacking nothing, complete.”  While that is an absolute truth, the opposite can also be sadly true. If we allow fear to become prominent in our thinking and our interactions with people, fear will be perfected instead of love, and it will become the driving force in our lives.

We are living in a time when unreasonable fear has taken control of the political and social discourse.  Statistics on both sides of an issue are no longer trustworthy because personal agendas are driving their interpretation. People are angry, and in some cases, rightly so. Unless that anger is dealt with, it will create devastating results in our personal relationships and within the institutions of culture.

When addressing the end of time, Jesus said the love of many would grow cold under the influence of unfolding fearful events. A cold love develops after incubating in the Petrie dish of fear, isolation, and suspicion. When our love loses its perfection, fear takes the advantage and enters our lives creating a storm of death, a death far greater than a death that comes when a deadly virus pays a visit.  Be careful. Protect love at all costs.