"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Tim 1:7)
This scripture was brought to my mind multiple times throughout the week, as I heard it discussed both in my New Testament class as well as in a church meeting today. It is a very important scripture for each of us in our lives because it reminds us not to live by fear. Instead, we need to strive to have faith in our lives and live by that instead.
If you listed out the types of "spirit" that God has given us, you would come up with a list of positive, strengthening things. On top of Paul's list of power, love, and a sound mind, you could add hope, peace, joy, and the list goes on. These are all things that are in direct opposition to the doubt and fear that Satan would have be our constant companions. The devil would have us feel that we are insignificant and worth nothing. He would like to cause us to be down on ourselves by having us focus on the past and mistakes we may have made. The spirit that God gives to us can help us to face the future with hope.
It is important for each of us to face our future with faith and with the spirit that God brings into our lives. Many times, as I have tried to make decisions in my life, I have been faced with the feeling that I have to make a decision right at that moment and that if I choose wrong, all will be lost. At these times, I have been filled with anxiety about making a decision. This scripture shows us that it is vital to not make such decisions while we are under the influence of the spirit of fear because it is not of God. Instead, we should make decisions when we have the spirit of a sound mind, which God can give to us.
No comments:
Post a Comment