In yesterday's sermon on 2 Timothy 1:7-12 I focussed mostly on the aspect of suffering for the sake of the gospel and what motivates us to pay the price of following Jesus and the legacy of Paul and so many others who "fought the good fight" before us. I did mention that probably the most intense battle is not primarily with our longing to fit in and the silence and compromises that ensue because of it, but it is "the war within" that seems the hardest to win.
What does it mean in this context to be not intimidated but to be gifted and equipped with a spirit of "love, power and self-discipline" (v.7)?
The first thing that stands out for me here, is the reminder that it is GOD's gift. It's not something I have or can muster independently of Him.
Secondly, it is a gift already GIVEN. Do I actually count on that fact? Or do I keep asking for something that I don't really believe is there because it's not as emotionally tangible as I'd like it to be?
Which brings me to the next point: How does self-discipline happen? So often the THOUGHT of self-control is very attractive but when it comes down to saying "No" to what you feel like doing, the resistance of the Self is very hard to overcome. Some translations render here "sound mind" instead of self-control. It seems to me that the original term "sophronismos" is pointing to the ability not to be overcome by (or to be enslaved to) emotion - in Timothy's case: fearfulness.
So what I hear Paul saying to Timothy is basically this: "You'll be facing many hardships if you keep following this path. Don't be afraid though. God has provided you with everything you'll need in those battles to come. Draw on His love to keep loving those who will feel hateful towards you and your message. Draw on His power to courageously keep pressing on. Draw on God's promise to guard your mind when you feel overcome by emotion or the temptation to forsake the battle for comfort and pleasure."
