My friend recently asked me what my favorite Bible verse is because she wanted to buy me a necklace with my favorite verse on it. It was hard for me to choose because so many verses are very meaningful to me, but after thinking about it for a while, I chose 2 Timothy 1:7. It says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
This verse reminds me that fear and anxiety are not the Lord of my life. God’s presence within me enables me to be bold and have victory over fear and anxiety.
One article I read on the last word of this verse, “sound mind” or “self-discipline”, said this: “A sound mind in the biblical sense pertains to the understanding of right and wrong. It is the ability to discern what is good for our soul and what is harmful (sin). Along with discerning moral behavior, a sound mind has the self-control (as translated in ESV) and self-discipline (NIV) to behave morally, not being a slave to sin. This is the freedom Christ bestows us, liberating our free will from sin.”[1]
Our mind and thoughts have been rescued from Satan’s lies and the power of sin. In Christ, we have God-given clarity and perspective in life. As Christians, we know the truth that the all-powerful living God loves us and He is with us. This provides an untouchable security not known by the world.
Fear is a powerful emotion and can steal much from us if we allow it to. With God’s powerful and loving presence in our lives, we can trust in Him and have confidence rather than be dominated by fear. God is so much more powerful than anything we have to fear and He deeply loves us and has promised to always be with us. I chose this verse to wear around my neck because I need this truth as a daily reminder. I hope it encourages you too.
[1] What Is Meant by a 'Sound Mind' in 2 Timothy 1:7 www.christianity.com/bible/sound-mind-2-timothy-1-7.