Timidity and Realism
At times like we are in at the moment, there is a fine balance between fear and realism. Some become paranoid and others irresponsible.
It seems that Timothy was prone to reticence and struggled to assert himself in the sense of fulfilling his calling and duty.
Paul is remembering when they laid hands on Timothy (probably in some form of ordination). As he did that, Timothy was filled and renewed with the equipping of the Holy Spirit.
There are two important things to say about this:
1. Paul likens the equipping power of the Holy Spirit as a fire: it must be fanned into flame. As a physical fire needs a steady flow of oxygen to burn brightly, so the Holy Spirit's work in our lives needs a different kind of oxygen to thrive. That "oxygen" is spelled a-v-a-i-l-a-b-i-l-i-t-y.
At the end of the day we can be talented and resourced but still useless if we are not available. The Spirit is ready to work powerfully in those who without conditions and without "if's or buts" say: "Here am I Lord, send me."
2. The Spirit's presence in our lives helps us to overcome fear. We can overcome nagging doubts, fear of failure and even outright terror through the equipping and transforming power of the Spirit. His equipping takes three forms:
- Power: (Greek=dunamis from where we get dynamite and dynamo - I prefer the latter as a picture of the Spirit's work.) He gives us the power to transform, the power to become better people and the power to overcome fear and sin.
- Love: Love is the key strategic weapon in our mission to reach and change the world. Our own capacity to love is fairly limited. Continued closeness to God increases our capacity to love.
- Self-Discipline: Our sinful nature is like the law of entropy: we are subject to ongoing personal decay. It is the Spirit who helps us to improve and transform our lives.
Are you willing to put aside the rush of your own agenda and say "OK Lord, here I am! Use me"?
| For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. (2Timothy1:6-7) |
