“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT
If you scroll through social media, you will undoubtedly notice posts like, “You are a rockstar,” “There’s no limit to what you can do,” “Believe you can and you’re halfway there,” “Tap into your inner strength,” or “discover your inner warrior.” While they are meant to nurture a more positive state of mind we cannot, realistically, conquer fear and insecurity merely by cheerleading ourselves into believing we are sufficient, in and of ourselves. Power – dynameōs in Greek, the same power used to work miracles – can only be found in Christ, our true source of strength. I don’t know about you, but I sure need His wonder-working power; not just in the trenches of life but every moment of every day.
In her book, A Little Pot of Oil: A Life Overflowing, Jill Briscoe states, “When life brings us low for whatever reason, He can empower us to stand up straight and keep on keeping on. When we run out of power to be and to do what we ought, the Lord has only just begun to supply us with His strength to live well beyond what we can do on our own.”
Prayer: Lord, today I lay aside all fear and timidity. I will not allow myself to be driven by fear. Instead, I choose to be driven by the Spirit of God who lives within me. Fill me with your strength to live well beyond what I can do on my own. Amen.
Thought: A faithful God does not expect you to do what you cannot; He supplies the needed strength.
– Erwin W. Lutzer