Power, love, and self-control

For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

Power is the Greek word “dynamis” here, which is basically God’s power and not our own.

Love is the Greek word “agape”, which is known as the God kind of love…something we receive from Him to be able to love with the love of Christ.

And self-control? (Other translations call it discipline or sound mind.)

Somehow we think WE are in charge of creating this in ourselves, but just like POWER and LOVE–both imparted to us from God–SELF-CONTROL is likewise just as divine–a virtue He pours into us and which we grow in as we step out in it by faith.

We sometimes stumble in the power arena; we sometimes stumble in the arena of love; but both are inexhaustible in Christ and can be accessed again and again, humbly, when we fail (and we will at times).

I believe self-control operates in the same way. It is from God to enable us to walk this natural life with Heaven’s ability. We will sometimes stumble, but HIS self-control poured out into us is inexhaustible and can be accessed again and again, humbly, when we do fail.

Dorothy

© 2023, Dorothy Frick.