What Your Mind Needs for Anxious MomentsSample

The Apostle Paul was Timothy’s spiritual father and continual encourager. The two partnered in ministry for over fifteen years. In Paul's last letter to Timothy, his son in the faith, he imparts courage: “I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

These words are sometimes quoted as a rebuke, implying we should never be afraid. But Paul means them as the opposite—they are reassurance that no matter what’s ahead, Timothy won’t have to handle it on his own. We don’t have to either.

Power. The original word is dynamis, and it’s where we get the modern word dynamic. The power Paul speaks of is not human but supernatural. Fear tells us we are weak; God’s Spirit makes us strong.

Love. This is agape, divine love. It’s not what we see in romantic comedies. It’s the fierce, wild love of God in and for us. Fear tells us to withdraw; God’s Spirit empowers us to reach out.

Self-discipline. The word sophronismos can also be translated as “sound mind.” It’s an inner alignment with truth, a deep knowing that makes us brave. Fear tells us lies—we can’t do it, we’re not enough, we’re going to fail; God’s Spirit assures us we will prevail.

The temptation when we hear the words power, love, and self-discipline is to make them a personal checklist- one we have to accomplish on our own. When anxiety strikes, we tell ourselves to stop being afraid, get over it, push through, slap on a smile, and pretend we’re fine. But we don’t have to fake or force anything. We’ve been given a Spirit who lives within us and empowers us. We can turn Paul’s words into an affirmation to repeat in anxious moments. This doesn’t mean our fear will magically go away—Paul compares the life of faith to a fight, after all. But it will remind us that we, like Timothy, have everything we need to move forward in faith and finish strong.

PRAYER: God, thank You for giving me a spirit not of fear but of power, love, and self-discipline. I pray that You will empower me through Your Spirit today. Amen

REFLECT: When have you experienced the Spirit’s power, love, and self-discipline in your life?

You are not alone in your anxiety. Get more help, encouragement, and practical strategies through Holley Gerth’s sixty-day devotional, What Your Mind Needs for Anxious Moments. You can find the book and other resources Holley has created for you at www.holleygerth.com/anxiety.