jwscaled.jpg1 and 2 Timothy were both written by Paul to a young pastor named Timothy that Paul himself had taught and ordained. The letters are full of instruction for Timothy in the challenges he faced as a pastor, but they also have much to say to all of us.

My thoughts focused on 2 Timothy 1:7:

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

The word timidity–it means “lacking in self-assurance, courage, or bravery; easily alarmed; timorous; shy.” Other Bible translations translate it as “fear.”

God does not want us to have a spirit of timidity. He doesn’t want us to be fearful or lacking in courage, self-assurance or bravery. If that is our spirit, we are reflecting something other than what God is.

Instead God has given us a different spirit–one more in line with His–one that is marked by power, love and self-discipline.

Power: Does your life reflect God’s power? Or is it characterized more by your own weakness? This particular word power in Greek is dynamis. We get our word dynamite from that. God has given us access to an awesome power–His power.

Love: All that power must be channeled though. One of the things through which it is challenged is love. The love spoken of here is God’s type of love–a love that loves the unlovable and the undeserving. That is way God loves us and that is the way He calls us to love. And we can do that only because of His love and His power.

Self-discipline: The other channel for all that power is self-discipline. Self-discipline is the training and control of one’s self or one’s conduct. In church words, we sometimes refer to this as sanctification–becoming holy. It is those steps we take, with the help of the Holy Spirit. to do that things that improve us.

What Biblical truths does God show me in these verses?
God does not want us to be people who lack bravery and courage, but instead be people marked by power, love and self-discipline.

Since God tells in the book of James to be doers of the Word and not merely hearers, how can I apply these Biblical truths to my life?
Today I wll seek to reflect God’s Spirit in my spirit by living in His power, sharing His love and doing those things which bring about improvement in my spiritual life.

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