1 John 4:18a  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

God has given me the gift of prophet as a result I am sensitive.  One drawback is I can easily get hurt.

For many years well meaning Christians have told me to put up a stiff upper lip, broaden my shoulders etc, so I don't get hurt.   I have felt that if I do that I will loose my sensitivity and become  hard and cold.  At the same time I have been praying and asking God to give me a harder shell so I don’t get hurt as easily. 

I didn’t think God was answering me because I wasn't getting broad shoulders or a stiff upper lip. 

Last week I had an altercation with someone in our church which upset me.  I  talked to a friend and she told me to get a stiff upper lip so it wouldn’t hurt me.   I told her no, that will make me hard.

After I told my husband what happened at the meeting he said something about this person which surprised me. As a result I realized that I have a hard time reading this person.  Normally I can pick up on people’s personality quickly, due to the prophetic spirit.  There are only two types of people I have a hard time reading. One are pathological liars, the other - people who have hardened themselves so they won’t get  hurts. Their God given personality is hidden deep behind masks.

It was then I realized God had been answering my pray. Not to harden me or give me a stiff upper lip.  He has been pouring his love into me.  God’s love in me has begun to give me a compassion for people that I did not have before. I am still a work in progress growing from glory to glory.

Perfect love casts out all fears.