We’ve got your daily encouragement, written by Aaron Martell.
Bible Reading:
2 Timothy 1:7
… for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Word:
I had a football coach that said, “Proper preparation provides predictable performance.” Say that 5 times real fast. But when you think about it, he believed that no matter what you faced, that if you had proper preparation you could see a predictable performance. Granted on the flip side, you could also have a predictable performance if you didn’t prepare, but it would be one of incompleteness or failure.
I believe Paul is saying the same thing to Timothy. Paul was mentoring young Timothy. Paul believed that Timothy could go and do what Paul was doing, but Timothy, in his youth, repeatedly struggled with fear or insecurity. This is why Paul tells him, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-discipline.”
Paul isn’t denying that we will face fear, what Paul is reinforcing is that we can overcome fear because of the spirit given to us. A spirit of power, love and self-discipline. Self-discipline is proper preparation. If we take time, to grow in discipline, we are properly preparing for whatever comes our way.
I think part of the question is, what are you preparing for? In your day to day, in what you face, in the time you have, what are you preparing for? Self-discipline will help create a better predictable performance no matter what you face.
Prayer:
God, thank you that you give me a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. When fear stands in the way, may what you have given me and how you have prepared me result in a predictable performance, overcoming whatever I face. Jesus’ name, character, and power, Amen
Skillwork:
Action Steps:
- What are the practices you need to develop daily to live with a spirit of power, love and self-discipline?
- Spend time in God’s word- not only read it, but what application do you need to live out. If you don’t know where to start, start in the book of Mark, look at the life of Jesus.
- Spend time in prayer, not only talking with God, but listening. At the start of the day and at the end of the day.
- What relationships do you have that speak into you and you speak into them? Have a weekly routine of at least touching base.
- What gets in the way of you believing you have a spirit of power, love and self- discipline? Can you be honest with living a less than life? Asking someone you trust to help you work towards greater discipline.
- What are you preparing for? Are the attitudes and actions that you have preparing for whatever it may be or do you need to adjust your discipline?
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