THE THREE THINGS NEEDED IN TIMES OF STRESS

 

I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition 

of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power 

and love and self-control.

II Timothy 1:1-8

Paul is in prison when he writes to a very discouraged young missionary named Timothy. It was Paul who had ordained an enthusiastic young Timothy. Now he writes to a young man overwhelmed and drowning in discouragement in his ministry. Things were falling apart. Timothy wants to give it up and come home. The "fire" he once had in him was going out. Paul tells Timothy to "fan into flame once again that gift that God gave you when you were ordained." His advice applies to those of you whose marriages or vowed life have grown lukewarm, as well as those who have lost their enthusiasm for practicing their faith!

Paul tells Timothy that God does not give us a spirit of cowardice, where we back off from life's challenges, give into our lazy streaks, take the easy way out and wimp out when things get tough.

Rather than a spirit of cowardice, Paul tells Timothy that God gives us three qualities that enable us to face apathy, danger, fear or setbacks with self-possession, confidence and resolution.

1. Dunymis - First, the Spirit gives us strength in the sense of adequacy to meet life's challenges effectively, the strength to do well what needs to be done. Some translations use the word power, but the word power has so many bad connotations today that the word strength is more true to what Paul means here. I am reminded here of Gideon's question to God when he was called to lead a vast number of people. "How can I possibly do what you ask?" God answered him, "I will be with you!" When needed, the Holy Spirit has been known to give people super-human strength. People have been known to run into burning buildings to rescue people, lift cars off people and to run great distances in times of crisis that they could never do otherwise. Today, it takes dunymis, strength, to raise children and keep a marriage life-giving. Today, it takes dunymis, strength, to remain engaged, energized and effective in priesthood and religious life.

2. Agape - Second, the Spirit gives us the ability to offer practical helpfulness even under pressure. Our translation today uses the word love, but that is sometimes associated in our culture with warm and fuzzy feelings. What the Spirit gives us is competence to deal effectively with a situation by being able to offer practical help to others. Sometimes we don't know what to do and where to turn, but the Spirit has been known to show us just what to do. Firemen, policemen, flight attendants and emergency room doctors and nurses need to offer more than warm fuzzy feelings. They need to be able to deal effectively with the situations in front of them. Those who care for sick children and elderly parents know that it takes more than warm fuzzy feelings. It takes the ability to function effectively even when it doesn’t feel good.

3. Sophronismos - Third, the Spirit gives us wisdom, but a very special kind of wisdom - the wisdom to know what to do in the face of panic, the know-how to keep your cool under pressure. (SOPHRONISMOS PRESS is the name I have given my little self-publishing empire – 40 books so far!) When we are overwhelmed with tragedy and loss, we often feel that we cannot cope. Those of you facing old age and bad health have days when you don’t think you can cope. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to stand our ground and handle things we never thought imaginable. Parents who lose their children in tragic accidents, married people who lose their spouses through terminal diseases. people who care for elderly parents over the long haul all need to know how to remain calm and what to do, even in the face of panic. A flight attendant running up and down the isle of a crippled airplane screaming, “we goina’ die” is a menace. He or she has to be able to remain calm and tell the people to fasten their seat belts and brace themselves for impact, no matter how bad it looks!” When the Cathedral walls cracked the whole 1852 building almost fell in a rubble. I can remember standing on the sidewalk watching it. I remember saying to myself, “Ron, you do not have the luxury of falling apart. You are pastor of that congregation next Sunday, with or without this building.” That is what “sophronismos” is all about!