UNDERSTANDING IN ALL THINGS

“Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you UNDERSTANDING in ALL THINGS” – 2 Timothy 2:7

Paul prayed that the Lord give Timothy, his spiritual son, UNDERSTANDING in ALL THINGS: “Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things” (2 Tim.2:7). He was pointing Timothy’s attention to the primacy of trusting the Lord for Understanding concerning all he had been sharing with him. This should be our priority and privilege as Believers in Christ. As we consider, reflect and meditate on God’s Words concerning any and everything, He’ll make them all plain; He’ll release clarity and understanding.

This portion of Paul’s final epistle to Timothy before his death, comprises crucial instructions: As a Son, to be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus (v.1); as a faithful Disciple, to commit the doctrines of the Gospel to faithful and able men (v.2); as a good soldier of Christ, to endure spiritual discipline and persevere through spiritual warfare, avoiding civilian distractions in order to please the Commander (vv.3-4); as a dedicated and disciplined Athlete, to compete and run by the rules in order to be crowned (v.5); and to adopt the attitude of the diligent Farmer, in order to partake of the harvest (v.6). All of these pictures of godly living: soldier on battlefield, athlete in the race, and the farmer on the field, illustrate perseverance, strength of character, and persistence in the midst of great challenges and life's inevitable privations.

“Consider what I say” refers to the illustrations of the Christian life that Paul had explained – son, student, soldier, sportsperson, and sower or husbandman. We must understand that each of these callings need great grace and grit to succeed. The weak son will bring shame to the father; the unreliable student who refuses to study and share will never mature into responsibility; the soldier who surrenders to the enemy before the battle is over will never see victory; the athlete who stops running before the race is over, has failed; and the farmer who ceases from his labour before the harvest, will never see the fruit of his crops. Timothy was encouraged to consider carefully all that Paul had taught him. He was to trust that the Lord would lead and guide him into all truth and equip him with deeper understanding in all things.

God is faithful, willing, and able to give us understanding in all the above things, and in all others; in all the doctrines and mysteries of grace, and all the rules of conduct in life. Then, we shall be strong in the Lord, live godly in Christ, and hold fast to the faith. We cannot rely on our limited knowledge and human understanding. Noone has innate understanding in spiritual things; it’s God’s gift. In the face of deep difficulties and trying times, He is faithful to save and keep us, and to give us understanding of all things that pertain to life and godliness (2Pet.1:2-3).