For
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and
of a sound mind. 2nd
Timothy 1:7 (New King James Version)
I
cut my teeth on the 1611 King James Bible. For me, while newer
translations can put the Word into ideas more readily understandable,
there is a real loss of richness in the style, words, and
descriptions of the KJV. I have been disappointed to find many English Bible
versions translate the word 'sound mind' as 'self-control' or
'self-discipline.' The word in the Greek Paul uses here is
sophronimos.
It
means sober discretion, prudence, good perspective, not given to
flights of fancy. Many Bible translators found Paul's meaning to be
'sound mind.'
I
have always loved that KJV translation of this verse because I found that
anxieties, fears of the unforeseen, along with sinful thoughts of all
kinds, left me with a mind in turmoil. I believe most of us can
relate. We all need a little more sound mind.
Right
now the world is laboring under the deadly threat of the Corona Virus
or Covid-19. This serious disease has caused great suffering around
the globe, but the media's mantra is 'If it bleeds, it leads' and
pours out daily unsubstantiated information just to be the first to
'break it.' These actions prey on the public's fears, fueling
anxieties and stresses. One needs a sound mind to cope with it.
In
so much chaos is God there? Is He working in all this? The great
twentieth century Christian theologian and apologist, A.W. Tozer,
wrote, “God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which he
must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our
nerves.”
Having
a sound mind requires a thought process based on the inner working of
the Holy Spirit. A sound mind stabilizes our inner and outer worlds.
But it is more than just what we think. It defines us and reveals who we
are. No thing, disease or otherwise, can stand before our God's will
and power. As He works He will keep us through the storm, granting us
peace and rest in a sound mind. What more could we ask or think? Take
heart. To the glory of God this too shall pass and He will prevail. He offers you a sound
mind through it all, relaxing the nerves, even down to that pesky
last one.
Ken
