“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”
—2 Timothy 1:7

The Word of God is like a mirror. We look into it, and it shows us who we are. We study it, and it helps us discern where we are in life so we can make any necessary changes. God wants us to see ourselves in the light of the mirror of His Word. Considering this, beloved, today’s verse reveals to us that if we’re living in timidity, fear, shame, or inferiority, we have to war against it and overcome. Why? Because those things do not come from God.

Some people say, “This is just the way I am. I’ve always been shy and withdrawn.” But that’s not good enough. God loves us too much to leave us where we are. God gave us His Word to call us up to a higher level—where He wants us to be. God has not given us a spirit of timidity, so if I’m naturally a timid person, I need to break the spirit of timidity off me because I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. “Old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17, NKJV).

We don’t define ourselves by who we are in the natural. We may have been born one way, but that’s just the beginning of the story. We’ve been born again, which means we’re being changed. We’re going from grace to grace. We’re looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2). In Christ, we don’t have a spirit of fear; we have a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. Don’t make excuses and tell yourself this is just the way you are. God is calling you to something bigger and better. You don’t have to change yourself; God’s Spirit is at work in you, empowering and renewing you day by day, and as you look to Him, you will be changed.

Let’s get in agreement with God’s Word and believe we are who HaShem says we are. Let’s confess it and declare it. Let’s practice walking in it. As we do, we’ll be transformed into His likeness and reach our destiny, which is to shine like the stars forever and ever.

Father God, I don’t want to live beneath Your best for me. Use the mirror of Your Word to show me who I am, where I am, and any course corrections I need to make. Help me to not only know the truth in my head but also believe it in my heart.

Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider, Rivers of Divine Truth (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2021), Used by permission.