For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7
There’s no shortage of fear these days. This morning I spoke with a couple of people briefly about the state of affairs in our world. Fear of the economy, inflation, war, disease, upheaval of all kinds – I’m sure you can add specifics to the list.
“Some fears are healthy. They help protect us from danger and costly mistakes. For instance, a fear of rattlesnakes can help hikers avoid poisonous bites. But unhealthy fear paralyzes us. It restricts our activities, destroys peace, interferes with sleep, and hampers relationships.”
Charles Stanley
We shouldn’t be careless, but we can’t live in fear either. In the brief verse above, Paul instructs Timothy (and us) that God’s gift is not fear, but of supernatural power, the ability express the love of God and to keep our wits about us in spite of our circumstances.
Is there an unhealthy fear in our lives? We can grow in our faith by relying on the strength of God’s promises. Here’s one promise to consider this weekend:
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10
Think on those words and remember the God who is our ultimate hope.
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