Context: 2 Timothy 1: 6-12
Focus: 2 Timothy 1: 6-7

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control (sound mind).” 2 Timothy 1: 7

The gift of the Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome fear and to love unconditionally. But it takes self-discipline to focus on the truth rather than our circumstance. A sound mind that is not double-minded but confident concerning the truth, takes captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ in every circumstance. (James 1: 6-8)

It takes discipline to take captive every thought that conflicts with the Truth and our faith.  Even more so to abstain from vain and futile words that speak doubt or fear.  A sound mind is a single -minded consciousness of God’s Word focused on His compassion and grace, which doesn’t allow regrets to cause regression in our faith. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Forgiving = Forgetting- and moving Forward in His Grace.

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is *for us, who can be against us?”  Romans 8:31 (*my emphasis)

Regretting = Regression – moving backwards into the Past.

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: *Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13-14 (*my emphasis)

Moving forward in Christ takes arduous determination and a mind-set that refuses to focus on anything but God’s Promises of mercy and grace.  It’s letting go of past failures, and present circumstances, mistakes, sins, lost opportunities, and denials.  It’s running the race with eyes fixed on the finish line, where doubt and fear are swallowed up in victory through faith alone in Jesus Christ.

“The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the LORD,And He delights in his way [and blesses his path]When he falls, he will not be hurled down, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand and sustains him.” Psalm 37:24

Lord, let me remember your faithfulness and to take captive every thought that causes me to fear and regress. With the helmet of salvation and through the gift of your Holy Spirit I have the power to love and the ability to overcome any obstacle that prevents me from running the race in your GRACE.