Courage is a Muscle

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” — 2 Timothy 1:7

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A Verse I Thought I Knew

I’ve long resonated with the apostle Paul’s admonition to his young protégé, Timothy:

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.”

I loved that verse — until I dug in a little deeper.

The Greek word translated “timidity” is deilia, and this is the only time it appears in the entire New Testament. I used to think timidity meant simple shyness — a mild, harmless personality trait. But the word actually points to something much stronger: fearfulness or cowardice.

That realization hit hard. I began to see that much of what I had written off over the years as shyness was, in truth, disguised fear.

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How Timidity Hides Itself

This fearfulness shows up in many forms.

At times, it appears as simple reticence — a hesitation that others might mistake for humility. But it’s not humility. It’s fear.

Other times, I hide timidity under the cloak of procrastination. Since no one sees those quiet moments of delay, I get away with it — but it’s still fear in disguise.

And then there’s shyness, which for me often masks a lack of confidence. When I hesitate to put myself out there, the real fear beneath it is that I’ll be exposed as an imposter.

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Two Battlegrounds: Projects and People

There are two primary arenas where timidity rears its head in my life.

1. Projects.

Taking on new projects always carries risk — especially the risk of failure. The more challenging the project, the greater the risk. It often feels easier not to try. After all, who will know?

2. People.

Timidity shows up here too. How many times have I avoided the hard but necessary conversation? How often have I failed to reach out to a friend who’s grieving or hurting, afraid of saying the wrong thing, the one in need of an ear to listen?

God forgive me for my timidity — my cowardice.

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The Spirit We’re Given

Paul gives Timothy — and us — an alternative to fear. He reminds us that God has already given us a different spirit:

“A spirit of power, and of love, and of self-discipline.”

It’s a powerful trio.

• Power (Dunamis) — from which we get the word dynamite. God gives us the dynamite power for the moments when fear paralyzes us.

• Love (Agape) — unconditional love that casts out fear. As 1 John 4:18 says, “Perfect love drives out fear.” Love that cares more about the person we love than the discomfort of a scary conversation, overcomes our hesitation, our timidity.

• Self-discipline — the steady glue that enables us to act on what we know is right, even when our emotions pull the other way.

When fear rises, this is the Spirit we can draw on.

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Choosing Courage

I have not always chosen the path of timidity. In many instances, by God’s grace, I have chosen courage.

And while not all those choices have led to success, I have never once regretted courage.

Courage led me into coaching, podcasting, and writing.

Courage pushed me to say yes to intimidating speaking engagements.

Courage has strengthened me.

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A Question for You

I’m not the only one who faces the pull toward timidity.

Where do you need to choose courage today?

Where do you need to trust God’s provision of power, love, and self-discipline?

Because courage isn’t something we’re born with —

Courage is a muscle that grows with exercise.