Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, is well known for his saying, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” Fear can be one of the most debilitating feelings, pervasive to the very core of our beings. When fear sets in, every action becomes paralyzed, with the question “what if” resonating throughout the soul through worry. Every decision involves a balance point between success and failure. Knowing this, many people hesitate to make decisions, though lack of a decision is still a decision! Fear does not come from the Lord.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
Timothy was Paul’s spiritual son, as Paul shared the gospel with Timothy when just a boy. Additionally, Paul’s influence upon Timothy did not stop there, including further encouragement of Timothy in ministry in the first epistle. The second epistle written by Paul to Timothy found Paul imprisoned, yet still concerned for his protégé. Timothy was no longer a boy, but in the 15 or so years since Timothy’s salvation, he was preaching to people with many more life experiences. Still, God had called Timothy to this position. If Timothy felt overwhelmed and began to fear, Paul reminded him that fear was of the devil, not of the Lord. Yet three attributes to offset that fear did come from the Lord – power, love and a sound mind.
Power is the Greek work dynameos, where we get our word dynamite. The TNT in this situation would be Timothy Not Timid! This power could be physical or moral, residing within a person, but the best description is “power in action.” Each action would involve a decision, and rather than worrying that the wrong decision had been made, a powerful man would trust in the Lord. Often, that involves stepping out in faith based on our decisions.
Love is the second attribute that can alleviate fear. In this verse, that love is agape, which points to the same kind of love that God exhibits to us. One of the greatest reminders of the power of love comes from Proverbs:
Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all sins.
Proverbs 10:12
Even when we make mistakes, those we have had repeated contact with should be able to see our unmistaken motive, love. According to the “love chapter:”
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love enables us to make the most difficult decisions, and to endure the ensuing battles. Lastly, God also gives us a sound mind. That sound mind helps us to make those hard choices, to weigh the potential situations with logic and wisdom, though there are times when God seems to answer our prayers in what seems to be an illogical way.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9
God does not place us into the easiest of situations, as He wants us to grow. That growth is reliance upon Him, rather than reliance upon self. Can a plant grow without water or sunshine? In the same manner, we cannot grow without Living Water or the Son of God! God stretches us with those difficult decisions, and if we rely upon Him, He will give us power, love and a sound mind. When we fear, instead of trusting in the Lord, we question each decision, worrying about all aspects that might go wrong. FDR was correct in his assessment that we should be afraid of fear, yet our only true fear should be the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom!
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Isaiah 41:10
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