Do you know that God's love will cast out all fear? 1 Samuel 26-31

1 Samuel 26:25 - 27:1 (NASBStr)

Then Saul said to David, “ Blessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

1 Samuel 27:1

 Then David said to himself, “Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.”

Where does the first verse in chapter 27 come from, especially after you read the events of chapter 26 ... particularly the last verse of 26?   David had a chance to kill Saul in chapter 26.  It was his second chance to do so.  Yet, out of Fear of The Lord, he did not.  He spared Saul.  He makes a statement to Saul to remind the king that he could have, again, taken his life.    Saul then makes the statement we read above that David will be blessed and will "prevail."   Saul then departs to his place and we have no further interaction between the two.  Yet, David is overwhelmed with fear in chapter 27.   That inward fear that all men have when they fail to focus on God's power.   David focused on Saul's evilness rather than God's sustaining protection.   The only reason David could sneak in and steal away Saul's sword and water jug and be in a place to make the decision to NOT kill Saul, was because God put a deep sleep on Saul (26:12).   Yet, despite God's protection and sustaining work in David's life, David allowed his emotions to carry the day.   He once again fell into fear and doesn't come out to pursue God and seek God until we read again in chapter 30.   Maintaining control over our emotions (especially fear) is one of the toughest aspects of the Believer's life.   We read in the NT that "perfect love casts out all fear:"

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

The connection between knowing God's perfect love for us (which means whatever is happening to us is exactly what God plans) and peace is amazing.   David had just asked God to bless him for not killing Saul (see 1 Samuel 26:24).   Yet, he didn't have faith in God's perfect love, that God would protect him and bless him.  Instead he fell into fear.   Knowing God loves us casts fear out of the equation.   David went from faith in God to fear of man because he failed to remember that God loved him and would only allow what God allows to touch David.  We must not make the same mistake.  Have faith in God's love for you.