Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "A Transformed Mind" for Thursday, 12 June 2014 - Read 2 Timothy 1:1-7

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "A Transformed Mind" for Thursday, 12 June 2014 - Read 2 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day 4 longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5 having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you; which lived first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and, I am persuaded, in you also.
6 For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.(2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV))
Anxiety runs in my family. My mother suffered from depression and a panic disorder that made her seem distant and unaffectionate. But in the 1970s, depression was not widely understood as a disease. We simply accepted that our silent mother who cooked, cleaned, and sewed for us rarely laughed or even smiled. She never complained; she merely endured. As a young adult, I was happy to break free from my gloomy home. But years later, as a mother with a successful career, I found myself falling prey to the same mental patterns. When a problem or crisis cropped up, I became tense and prone to panic. I constantly believed disaster was imminent. This buildup of tension led to a breakdown. One day I couldn’t get out of bed, immobilized by fear. My doctor prescribed medication, and though it helped, I also wanted to ask for God’s healing. I recognized mental habits that needed to be changed and believed in God’s power to set me free. I began to meditate on God’s word. “God has not given me a spirit of fear,” I would repeat over and over as panic welled up inside, making my heart race. Soon I would feel calm wash over me, the calm of God’s power and love, and a sound mind. Years later, I can report that God did indeed give me a sound mind. I rarely experience anxiety now; but when I do, I remember this verse.
The Author: Elizabeth Penney (Georgia, USA)
Thought for the Day: God’s peace helps us face all of life’s challenges.
Prayer: Dear God, our helper, thank you for delivering us from fear and bringing peace to our troubled minds and hearts. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer focus: Those with anxiety disorders
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