| “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). |
| “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee” (Psalm 56:3). |
| Many people today want to be powerful, and sometimes we see pictures in magazines or on posters of people who would not naturally be considered powerful, with a caption underneath saying, “I am powerful.” We like to think we are powerful, even if we are not. However, we have to admit that we are often afraid, and since this Covid pandemic has been here, many more people have become afraid of what is going to happen. Some people are very scared of getting the Covid virus, while others wonder how long the disruption in our lives will go on. Supply chains of goods are being interrupted, and billions of dollars are being spent to try and control the situation. The stable world that many of us were used to is not here any longer, and no one knows for sure what the future holds. |
| There are many things in this world that can make us afraid. When we are young, perhaps we are fearful of how our life will go, or whether we will be able to have a successful career. With house prices so high today, perhaps some of you are afraid that you will never be able to own a home. Those in developing countries sometimes have more basic fears, such as whether they will be able to live in peace, and be able to afford food. |
| If there is fear in our hearts, we can be sure that it is not God who has put it there. No, God has not given us this spirit, but rather the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind. What does this mean? It means that God has promised us His power, the enjoyment of His love, and a mind under the control of the Spirit of God. When people talk about power in this world, they are referring to natural power, and men take pride in that. But when we rely on God’s power, it does not lift up our hearts in pride; rather we give God the glory for what He has done for us. We can safely trust Him, for whatever happens in this world, He has promised to bring us safely to our heavenly home. He will always make a clean path for us, and one that will honor Him. |
