Mark Twain once quipped: “When in doubt, tell the truth. It will confound your enemies and astound your friends.” So, here’s a truth that will evoke exactly what he predicted. It was written to a pastor whose church was under economic, social, and spiritual pressure. Sound familiar?
“God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV).
A Christ-follower who lives this out will truly confound and astound.
Every one of us has experienced disruption in our lives over the past three months. Schools and businesses are closed. Pigs and cattle are being euthanized. Cruise ships are dry-docked, and our worship spaces are empty.
The immediate cause is COVID-19. But look deeper. The real cause is fear, the most primal of all human emotions. Whatever the cause of fear, the results are the same: isolation, suspicion, conflict, and blame.
As we prepare to gather again at Berean (Reunion June 20 + 21), we need to live in the truth of this verse. Otherwise, we will not be ready to really receive each other. We’ll be fearful, hesitant, and isolated. So, prepare now to be “connectible.” (Is that really a word?) Fight off the fear that would keep us distant and unreachable.
- Start full every day on the power of the Holy Spirit to fill you with his strength. Fear causes weakness and shrinking. The power of the Holy Spirit gives hope, boldness, and courage.
- Give yourself away in love. The most direct antidote to fear is love. When I am moving toward someone in love, I am not a sitting target for fear. Love keeps me from wallowing and self-pity. Love expands my horizons to see the world—one person at a time—the way God sees it.
- Test everything with the discernment of self-control. Take in information, but don’t stampede at every startling noise. Don’t run from every false alarm. Stay centered on the things that never change and weigh everything else accordingly.
Gathering in the same space will not fill the longing we have for true fellowship unless those who gather are free of fear. We need the same spirit, the spirit that is given by God himself. Get ready to resume the life of the body of Christ by recognizing and rejecting fear and embracing power, love, and self-control.
Do you want more encouragement? Read Pastor Roger's blog about practicing relaxed concern.
