"Power, Love and a Sound Mind"

We settle ourselves down so we can hear what God wants to say. When we quiet our hearts and sit with His Word, He speaks to each one of us. He opens eyes in fresh ways, and we are changed. Amen.

This week has felt heavy. Maybe you felt it too — hard headlines, raw conversations, different opinions firing from every direction. We each have our own news feeds, our own past experiences, and our own lenses. Sometimes I wish I could trade feeds with you for a moment so I could see what you see. But no matter how different our perspectives, none of that changes where we stand in Christ. We don’t have to get lost in the politics or the panic, because we already stand on the same ground: our position in Christ and the reality of His love.

A Word from Paul — A Letter Written in the Dark

I was drawn this week to Paul’s second letter to Timothy — likely written around AD 64–67 during Paul’s second Roman imprisonment, shortly before his martyrdom. Rome had been through a devastating fire, Christians were being blamed and persecuted, and Paul was confined in harsh conditions. Many companions had deserted him. He writes to Timothy — his spiritual son — not in panic, but in pastoral clarity.

Listen to Paul’s heart: “I thank God… without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you.” In the midst of chains and uncertainty, Paul prays. He remembers. He recognizes genuine faith in Timothy — faith he’d first seen in Timothy’s grandmother and mother — and that persuaded him that Timothy could stand.

Stir Up the Gift

Paul’s exhortation is simple and fierce: “Stir up the gift of God which is in you.” Think of coals under ash — the fire is there even when it looks like it’s gone. Stir it. Fan it. Bring it to life. The gift isn’t something Timothy earned; it’s what God placed in him. It’s what God places in you.

Paul reminds Timothy — and us — that God has not given a spirit of fear. That spirit of fear is incompatible with the life of faith. Instead, we have three things placed in us:

• Power — the Greek word dunamis, the kind of effective strength where God’s ability accomplishes what needs to be done.

• Love — agape, other-centered, self-giving, co-suffering, sacrificial love.

• A sound mind — self-control, a safe inner outlook that regulates outward behavior; a mind preserved and steadied.

These three — power, love, and a sound mind — are not optional extras. They are the tools God gives us to live courageously in hard times.

Power Under Control

Jesus exemplifies these three even at the cross. Power without love could have ended everything in a display of force. But Jesus chose power under control — meekness, which is not weakness but strength under restraint. He could have overthrown his captors and declared a kingdom on the spot, yet he chose sacrificial love that transforms eternity rather than only a moment.

There’s a huge difference between raw force and the combination of power and love. The latter produces lasting fruit.

How to Respond — Practical Steps

When the world feels heavy and fear wants to take over, what can we do? Here are some faithful, practical steps to stir up the gift:

• Gather with others. Remember how healing it was after 9/11 to sit in a church and pray? Community fans the flame.

• Pray and remember. Like Paul, pray without ceasing. Remember the genuine faith you’ve seen in others and in your own life.

• Read and study God’s Word. Let Scripture renew your mind and reframe your perspective.

• Talk to someone who will encourage you in the Lord. Find someone who points you back to Christ.

• Ask God for wisdom. James says if any of us lacks wisdom, ask, and God gives generously.

A Simple Measuring Stick

If you’re unsure about a message or a perspective you’re hearing, weigh it with this: Does it produce fear, or does it reflect power, love, and a sound mind? If it breeds panic, divisiveness, or timidity, it’s not aligned with the Spirit God has given us. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what you need to see and to reposition your perspective so you can see with His eyes.

Closing — Receive and Move Forward

Stir up the gift of God that’s inside you. Don’t let fear smother what God has placed within. You’ve been given everything you need — power to act, love to guide, and a sound mind to keep you steady. Position yourself on purpose. Walk forward. Be the person God has made you to be in this hour and in this place.

Let’s pray: Lord, we receive your Word today. Thank you that you have put a spirit in us that is not fearful but full of power, love, and a sound mind. Help us to stir up what you’ve given, to see what you want us to see, and to do what you want us to do. Work in us now and keep working until the day we see you. Amen.

Would you take one minute right now to ask God to show you one practical way to stir up His gift in your life this week? Then do that one thing. Small steps stoked faithfully become great fires.