Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 2 Timothy 1:7

"For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline." — 2 Timothy 1:7 (ASV)

Paul is fond of making a negative statement and then following it with three positive ideas (cf. Romans 14:17). God has not given us a spirit of “timidity” (GK 1261) or cowardice, but a spirit of “power” (GK 1539), of “love” (GK 27) and of “self-discipline” (GK 5406). The effective Christian worker must have the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:8). But that power must be expressed in a loving spirit, or it may do damage. And often the deciding factor between success and failure is the matter of self-discipline.

This is one of the several passages in these two letters that hint at Timothy’s naturally timid nature. He had been brought up by his mother and grandmother, and now Paul was taking the place of a father to him.