Power, Love, and Self Control!

January 18th, 2009 by Mark Shea Print This Article Print This Article ·

2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.

If God had given us a spirit of love but not power, we might burn out with frustration over wanting to love but being unable to do what was necessary.  If he had given us a spirit of love and power, but not self-control, we might have spent ourselves in an unbalanced and powerful love of something essentially selfish.  If he had given us a spirit of power and self-control, but not love, we would have all the ingredients necessary to be the next Adolf Hitler.  And if he had given us self-control, but not power and love we might well have become the most introverted and self-absorbed people who ever walked the face of the earth: a race of Stuart Smalleys perpetually examining ourselves in a hypnotic stupor of therapeutic narcissism.  But God, who is wise, pours out his Spirit without measure and give us all of what we need—-power, love and self-control—-that we might become the image of Christ.  When you face difficulties today, remember you have power, love and self-control.

Mark Shea is Senior Content Editor for Catholic Exchange and a weekly columnist for the National Catholic Register. You may visit his website at www.mark-shea.com check out his blog, Catholic and Enjoying It!, or purchase his books and tapes here.

Get Mark Shea's 3-CD set of talks, An Evangelical Discovers the Catholic Faith. Contents include:

"By What Authority?: An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition"

"This is My Body: An Evangelical Discovers the Real Presence."

"Behold Your Mother: An Evangelical Discovers the Blessed Virgin Mary

Only $30 for the 3-CD set, shipping and handling included. (Also available on cassette tape.) Email Mark at chez.ami@verizon.net to order or click here.