For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
Well, sister, that is some good news, right? Now, if I could only live it out!
I often lack confidence. Timidity sometimes gets the best of me. And, I bet you know exactly what I’m talking about. Timidity, fear, and a lack of confidence aren’t what our Father gives His daughters.
He gives us the best gifts and when we receive them, ta-da! Confidence is the bonus!
Gift 1: Power
God has given us His power in place of our timidity. The Greek word for power, “dunamis,” refers to the kind of power that exists in something or someone inherently — within its very nature. It’s a power that shows itself through exertion. We get our word dynamite from this word. Boom! Pow! This gift of power requires our cooperation. Just as a stick of dynamite needs a touch of fire to release its power, so it is with us. We ignite God’s power in our lives by stepping out and applying it.
In what areas of your life do you lack confidence? No matter what answer pops into your mind, it falls into the “all things” category. That means even when you don’t feel confident, you can do those things… through Christ. You’ve got the power!
When you have God’s power inside you, what in the world do you have to be afraid of?
Gift 2: Love
The times I’ve felt the least confident were the times I felt the least secure in my husband’s love. It’s not that Phil ever intentionally held back his love for me. It’s just that when we were first married, he didn’t always show love in a way I recognized. But the longer we grew in our marriage, the more I recognized how he showed love. It had been there all along, but he learned how to communicate it and I learned how to see it.
Can I just say that the result was, and still is, wings? I am secure enough to be vulnerable, secure enough to take risks, secure enough to fail. That is a result of love.
If imperfect human love can bolster confidence, how much more can the perfect love of God?
There is no fear in love, John the Apostle tells us. But perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18 NIV). The Greek word for love in 2 Timothy 1:7 and the verse you just read is “agape.” It is the perfect, unconditional, love of God. We don’t earn it and we can’t lose it.
We can have confidence when we understand what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us! (1 John 3:1 NKJV). Accept it, take it in, trust the over-the-top love of God — it will give you wings!
Gift 3: Self-discipline
God boosts our confidence through the gift of self-discipline. I know self-discipline doesn’t sound like a gift —more like a ball and chain! The good news though is that what God calls us to do, He equips us to do. In Galatians 5, one of the fruits of the Spirit is none other than self-control. God knows our weaknesses, and He provides through His Spirit the self-control, self-discipline, and soundness of mind that we need. Our part is to walk in the Spirit so that we will fulfill the desires of the Spirit.
When we have Spirit-controlled self-control, it will penetrate every weakness that intimidates us.
We don’t have to wait to feel confident about our abilities to control all our weaknesses. God has given us the gift of self-control, and what He gives us, He equips us to use. As we experience self-control in our typically out-of-control selves, we will stand taller in the confidence God gives.
Which one of these gifts do you most need to make your own?
