--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love is self-giving; fear is…" description: "\"“Love is self-giving; fear is self-protecting.3 Love moves toward others; fear shrinks away from them. But the counselor must remember (and persuade th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/jay-e-adams-7350_fear_love-is-self-giving-fear-is-self-protect_3102703.jpg" --- # Love is self-giving; fear is self-protecting.3 Love moves… ![“Love is self-giving; fear is self-protecting.3 Love moves toward others; fear shrinks away from them. But the counselor must remember (and persuade the counselee that) love is the stronger since it is able to “cast out” fear. In dealing with fear, nothing else possesses the same expulsive power.” quote by Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/jay-e-adams-7350_fear_love-is-self-giving-fear-is-self-protect_3102703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/jay-e-adams-7350_fear_love-is-self-giving-fear-is-self-protect_3102703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/jay-e-adams-7350_fear_love-is-self-giving-fear-is-self-protect_3102703.jpg) > ““Love is self-giving; fear is self-protecting.3 Love moves toward others; fear shrinks away from them. But the counselor must remember (and persuade the counselee that) love is the stronger since it is able to “cast out” fear. In dealing with fear, nothing else possesses the same expulsive power.”” [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love overcomes fear by actively reaching out, while fear withdraws; love is a powerful antidote. **In simple terms:** Love is stronger than fear because it pushes outward. Key Takeaway Choose love over fear. Themes courage relationships psychology Mood reflective motivational Type counseling inspirational When to use this quote - counseling sessions - personal conflicts - relationships growth Key Concepts self‑sacrifice fear management Questions to Reflect On - When have you let love replace fear? - How can you cultivate love in fearful situations? A Different Perspective Love may be difficult to practice when fear is intense. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Moves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-moves/) ## Related quotes > [Fear - jealousy - money - revenge - and protecting someone you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-knott/fear-jealousy-money-revenge-and-protecting-someone-you-love/) Frederick Knott > [“Gabriel nodded. "Sometimes love makes hard decisions for the sake of what needs protecting." "But love should fight." He nodded slowly. "Yes, love should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-fine/gabriel-nodded-sometimes-love-makes-hard-decisions-for-the-sake-of/) [Chelsea Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-fine/) > [I would never let you go I will protect you like a solider protecting the one they love and I angel will never give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-hood/i-would-never-let-you-go-i-will-protect-you-like-a-solider-protecting/) [Courtney Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-hood/) > [Giving in to fear alters God's best plan for your life. So use the power of God's Word to do what He wants you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/giving-in-to-fear-alters-god-s-best-plan-for-your-life-so-use-the/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“But giving in to the fear of feeling and working to capacity is a luxury only the unintentional can afford, and the unintentional are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/but-giving-in-to-the-fear-of-feeling-and-working-to-capacity-is-a/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [The way you deal with a scare is the way you deal with a laugh. The timing has to be perfect. When you're dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-wilson/the-way-you-deal-with-a-scare-is-the-way-you-deal-with-a-laugh-the/) [Patrick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-wilson/) > [“Having a long-term plan--and not casting it aside--is the key to dealing with our fear of loss (loss aversion).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ori-brafman/having-a-long-term-plan-and-not-casting-it-aside-is-the-key-to/) [Ori Brafman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ori-brafman/) > [Giving in to fear alters God's best plan for your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/giving-in-to-fear-alters-god-s-best-plan-for-your-life/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“he also felt that this was what he was born for, felt proud of himself for not giving into his fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/he-also-felt-that-this-was-what-he-was-born-for-felt-proud-of-himself/) [Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/) > [Fear of failure is caused by lack of self-esteem and confidence. Dealing with fear is the key to super success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pena/fear-of-failure-is-caused-by-lack-of-self-esteem-and-confidence/) [Dan Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pena/) > [“BOB DIAMOND: "Being from earth as you are and using as little of your brain as you do, your life has pretty much been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-pattakos/bob-diamond-being-from-earth-as-you-are-and-using-as-little-of-your/) Alex Pattakos > [Behind every fear is a person you want to be. Fear is self-imposed, meaning it doesn't exist. You create it. You can destroy it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/behind-every-fear-is-a-person-you-want-to-be-fear-is-self-imposed/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [Fear is self-awareness raised to a higher level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/fear-is-self-awareness-raised-to-a-higher-level/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [There is always the fear of self-righteousness possessing us, the fear of arrogating to ourselves a superiority that we do not possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/there-is-always-the-fear-of-self-righteousness-possessing-us-the-fear/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Fear of self is the greatest of all terrors, the deepest of all dread, the commonest of all mistakes. From it grows failure. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-seabury/fear-of-self-is-the-greatest-of-all-terrors-the-deepest-of-all-dread/) [David Seabury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-seabury/) ## More by Jay E. Adams > [“No man is free to ignore God’s standards. No one has the right to choose not to serve God, for God has made man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/no-man-is-free-to-ignore-god-s-standards-no-one-has-the-right-to/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is at work, one of the discernible evidences of His presence is changed personalities. Men can and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/wherever-the-spirit-of-the-lord-is-at-work-one-of-the-discernible/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“When clients think they are helpless, that some strange mysterious force is at work overpowering them, and they say that I Corinthians 10:13 does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/when-clients-think-they-are-helpless-that-some-strange-mysterious/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“Nouthetic counseling, then, necessarily embodies involvement of the deepest sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/nouthetic-counseling-then-necessarily-embodies-involvement-of-the/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“While victories in the struggle are possible through Christ (vs. 25), they do not come easily or apart from daily battles involving just such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/while-victories-in-the-struggle-are-possible-through-christ-vs-25/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“But even that distress must be balanced by enthusiastic hope. It is his task always to sound the note of biblical optimism that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/but-even-that-distress-must-be-balanced-by-enthusiastic-hope-it-is/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“The fourth response is Christian: “It can be solved through Christ.” Notice that the first three responses leave the problem intact and as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/the-fourth-response-is-christian-it-can-be-solved-through-christ/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“Nowhere does the Bible say that one must wait for change. Jesus did not ask people to wait. He expected and effected change right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/nowhere-does-the-bible-say-that-one-must-wait-for-change-jesus-did/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“the Christian cheerfully asserts the possibility of thorough, rapid change. This is a very crucial plank in the Christian counselor’s platform. As a basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/the-christian-cheerfully-asserts-the-possibility-of-thorough-rapid/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“There are at least seven separately definable elements involved in biblical change. These cannot be viewed merely as successive steps, since most of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/there-are-at-least-seven-separately-definable-elements-involved-in/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“We are to vigorously and violently demolish all the fortifications of the foe, winning the battle and talking him captive for Christ. The Church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/we-are-to-vigorously-and-violently-demolish-all-the-fortifications-of/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“Most cases of child discipline may be solved by establishing structure that will lead to the reenforcement of the biblical principles established for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/most-cases-of-child-discipline-may-be-solved-by-establishing/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“Counselees continually confuse learned behavior patterns with inherited nature (phusis). Counselors may take it as a rule that any quality of life, attitude of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/counselees-continually-confuse-learned-behavior-patterns-with/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [The Christian is free from all other human beings. He does not have to live over against others, controlled by their actions and responses.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/the-christian-is-free-from-all-other-human-beings-he-does-not-have-to/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [“Similarly, the Scriptures urge the believer to be what God has declared him to be in Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/similarly-the-scriptures-urge-the-believer-to-be-what-god-has/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) [Explore all 92 Jay E. Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) [Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Love is self-giving; fear is self-protecting.3 Love moves toward others; fear shrinks away from them. But the counselor must remember (and persuade the counselee that) love is the stronger since it is able to “cast out” fear. In dealing with fear, nothing else possesses the same expulsive power.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jay E. 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