Have No Fear
2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
It’s rare that we live our lives without encountering hard things, isn’t it? Life is full of challenges. Some greater than others. Maybe it’s a day of ‘everything going wrong’ or maybe it’s a diagnosis that changes life altogether. It could be a short-lived challenge or a chronic issue that becomes a companion of sorts. Maybe it’s earth-shattering or just inconvenient. Whatever the ‘hard’, God equips us to deal. But it’s not US that makes us capable, it’s God IN us.
If we are believers, the Spirit of God lives in us. Think about that. The Spirit of God lives IN US. So, when we’re afraid or intimidated or overwhelmed, it is so important that we remind ourselves of the Scriptural Truth that God’s Spirit is alive and active in us and can empower us to do whatever it is God is calling us to...even the hard stuff. God’s Spirit does not make us timid and fearful, but gives us power, love and a sound mind (self-discipline).
When our sons or daughters call us in a ‘tizzy’ over something that has them fearful, frazzled or overwhelmed, let’s be mindful of how we’re going to encourage them. Friends, our responsibility as parents and fellow believers is to encourage them in Truth. More than just console them (which is needed) we need to encourage them to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and grab hold of that power of God that lives in them. We want to enable Godly living, not enable the fear.
God doesn’t indwell them in order to allow them to remain fearful, but to empower them to live with boldness and confidence to confront what they are facing with Godly strength, love and discipline.
Today, let’s pray for our sons and daughters to live with that Spirit-led power, love and self-discipline and to not just ‘think’ they can, but to fully believe they can and will do it! Let’s pray that fear steps aside and knows its place in light of the Spirit’s power and presence.
Pray without ceasing.