3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 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, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
These words spoke to me this morning in a mighty way. I asked for prayer from my church family and others I've been in contact with for my upcoming colonoscopy. I have felt at peace with it until I had an unsettling dream. The outcome from the test was not favorable in my dream and we were crushed. Last night as we prayed before bedtime I asked for the enemy to not be in my dreams. Then I began to wonder if it was the enemy or if it were the Lord preparing me. When I awoke this morning the verse that was in my mind was II Timothy 1:7. My paraphrase…God doesn't give us a spirit that makes us afraid but rather gives us a spirit of power, love and self-control. If my dream was from the enemy, I have the Lord's power to not be afraid. If my dream was from the Lord, I have His power to go through whatever lies ahead. Part of me wants to ask the Lord if it was from Him but another part of me wants to leave it be.
As Paul said of Timothy….I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. The desire of my heart is to have a faith that is unshakable. In order to have that kind of faith I must do as Paul directed Timothy. "…to fan into flame the gift of God…" Woo hoo! I will draw closer to the Lord and allow Him to work through the situation in whatever way He has planned.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for loving me! Thank You for giving me Your Power! Thank You for being so real to me! Woo hoo! You are so awesome Lord in the way You direct my path. Father, whatever lies ahead, I am in Your hands. I will not fear the unknown. Thank You Jesus for being My Power, Love, Self-Control. Amen.
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