Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Devotion: “Look to your faith, because your faith conquers fears.”
There are a lot of reasons to fear in our world today. In the last five years alone, we had a pandemic, multiple wars have broken out, and hostages have been held captive overseas. We have had political unrest here in the states, with protests sometimes turning violent. Every news headline seems to be a negative one, presenting us with yet another reason to fear.
In today’s verse, the Apostle Paul was writing to Timothy, a young mentee of Paul. Knowing who penned these verses gives more weight to them. They weren’t written by someone who was living on an island with a beachfront view and a cool breeze. Paul was persecuted for his faith. He was abandoned by his friends. He was persecuted. He was thrown into a Roman prison. Eventually, Paul was beheaded because of the work that he did in spreading Christianity. And yet, in the midst of all of this hardship, he reminds his young protégé that the Holy Spirit does not make us fearful. Rather, He gives us power, love, and self-discipline.
When we seek the Kingdom of God first, He will take care of whatever we are worried about. In the middle of your worry, as you feel yourself giving in to those anxious thoughts, pray about it. Give it over to Him. And because we know that the Lord has not given us a spirit of fear, anything that we are fearful about did not come from Him. We don’t want to give power to something that is not from God Himself. So turn to Jesus, look to your faith in Him, and allow Him to conquer your fears.
Reflect:
- God has not given us a spirit of fear or worry. So, when you feel worry creeping in, how can you recognize it and give it over to Him?
