"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Tim.1:7)
Lord, I know this intellectually, but help me to live it out experientially.
I haven't been able to put my finger on it exactly, but as I've pondered it, it seems that I'm battling a vague and deep-seated sense of fear and anxiety over all that has been happening in our world. First the corona virus and all the uncertainty, isolation, division and destruction that this virus wrought on our world . And then, all that has surrounded the tragic, terrible death of George Floyd...the wounds that have split open, the ugly racism that has been exposed, the anger, the sorrow, the suffering, the vitriolic divisions. It's been both heartbreaking and convicting. It's engendered both lament but also fear. What will the future hold? Where will this end? What if we respond in the wrong way? What are we to do to help make a difference? What does it mean to be salt and light in this situation?
I don't know...but my Savior does. He knows what it means to walk right into pain, division, and difficulty and bring healing, hope, grace, and light. He steps right into the brokenness. He never shies away from the hard conversations.
As Jesus prepared to go to Calvary for our sins, He--who was and is fully God--knew full well the incalculable weight of all the sin that would soon be laid upon Him and the infinite amount of suffering He would endure. And yet, we're told, "When the days drew near for Him to be taken up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem." (Luke 9:51). Or as some translations put it, He "set His face like flint." Such steely, unwavering determination to go straight into the horrific, cosmic battle for our souls which would cost Jesus His life...but would give us ours. Oh thank You, Lord Jesus.
So when we ponder Jesus and His suffering for us, when we "consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself" for us, how can we grow weary or fainthearted? (Heb.12:3) How can we shirk the hard conversations? How can we seek to avoid all discomfort and pain in our desire for self-protection and self-preservation? How can we choose comfortable isolation over uncomfortable loving? How can we succumb to fear of the future when He calls us to reject our fear and act on our faith in Him. To act on our faith in the One who holds the future in His nail-scarred hands and promises that He is with us always, even to the end of the earth
Yes, I know these things intellectually, but yet that stubborn fear wants to wrap it's icy tentacles around my heart.
To my fearful "what if, what if, what if?," the answer is "But God..."
But God's Word promises that the Lord has given "us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
That "spirit of fear" I claim to feel? It's not from the Lord who has given us His Spirit to dwell within us. No, that fear is not from Him, so I, so we, need to reject and refuse it and instead act in accordance with the Spirit of power, love, and self-control that our heavenly Father has given us.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, away with you fear--you ugly, destructive, paralyzing, unloving, unbelieving, joy-sucking, peace-destroying fear.
Instead, by God's grace and for His glory, might we act in obedience to the gentle yet powerful promptings of His Holy Spirit--to trust, to love, to forgive, to sacrifice, to be salt and light, and to live with joy, hope, and gratitude in our hearts, words, and actions. We can't, but He can.
Thank You, Father, for Your unfailing, unchanging Word. Thank You for our saving, living Savior. And thank You for the indwelling, empowering Holy Spirit. Help us this day and everyday to be led by faith, not by fear. You've promised us that we have Your Spirit of power, love, and self-control, so please enable us walk in step with the Spirit, by Your grace, for Your glory.
To God be the glory.
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