II Timothy 1:7 (NASB) For
God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
Fear causes us to be emotionally paralyzed. When we are overcome with fear, we can't make
decisions and can't move forward. Because God knows this-we are told in scripture that God gives us a
spirit of power.
Power is the opposite of fear. Fear comes when we feel helpless. We feel helpless when we don't see a way to
do anything useful or positive. News and
political reports can make us feel there is no hope. But God is watching. Understanding that there is a God and that He
is still involved and concerned with His followers takes away that dread of the
unknown. We can know that God still
cares and is still in control.
The New King James Version renders the verse this way: For God hath not given us the
spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Power, Love, Discipline, or in the other case:
Power, Love, Sound Mind. All of these
attributes depict positives from God toward us. We are not to let this world get to us. We have to have faith to know that God cares and wants good for us.
Along with power, the verse says we are
given a spirit of love. Jimi Hendrix
said: When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know
peace". This peace is found in the
church. As well, we are given a spirit
of discipline or a sound mind. These
words may not seem to be synonymous, but they are in this context. Discipline brings soundness of mind because
it projects self-control. And self is the only thing we have control over.
Tony Stafford
Miami Church of Christ
