October 4, 2010
2 Timothy 1
Pastor Jon Wehner
Are you timid?
Do you like to play it safe?
Do you suppress your affection to keep your emotions in check?
As we read in the first chapter of 2 Timothy, Paul and Timothy seemed to master the art of emotional disclosure. Paul recalled that Timothy literally wept when they last said goodbye. In the same sentence (see verse 4), Paul wrote about the joy that he would experience at their next encounter.
To be honest, I wrestle routinely with the fact that I am challenged emotionally. There are times when I limit the work of the Holy Spirit through my own emotional dysfunction. Yet what I love about scripture is that the simplest revelation can expose a weakness that could keep me from experiencing God’s best.
In 2 Timothy 1, I discover a challenge for each of us to love boldly – not out of a spirit of timidity – but of power. It’s a simple directive - practice healthy emotional disclosure. No longer do we have an excuse by playing it safe or keeping emotions in check. When we suppress our affections, we destroy a powerful testimony or word of encouragement that can sometimes only be expressed through emotional vulnerability.
Are you up for that challenge?
A Michigan native, Pastor Jon worked 15 years in the NASCAR racing industry before transitioning into full-time ministry. He directs Fusion (single adult ministry) and Monday Night Church.
