his perfect love for us. Believing that God deeply loves us and is for us changes us (Romans 8). Embracing this truth replaces our anxious hearts with peace and trust, because we realize that God is the only one able to love us perfectly. (See Psalm 56:3; Philippians 4:6-8; Colossians 3:15.) Knowing God’s love experientially is a process all of us are growing into. Without that anchor, we will be ruled by fear. When we live to protect ourselves from relational pain, we cannot live freely or authentically.