FEBRUARY 21, 2026

  “Timidity is the silent acceptance of bondage” 

― Constance Friday

NUMBERS 5-6

22The Lord said to Moses, 23“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

24“ ‘ “The Lord bless you

and keep you;

25the Lord make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

26the Lord turn his face toward you

and give you peace.” ’

27“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”(6:22-27)

MARK 4:1-20

13Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

JOURNAL 

Numbers 5–6 reminds me that God’s blessing is not simply protection but presence. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. Peace comes from knowing that God is with me in every moment, not just the victorious ones but also the ordinary days and the painful endings. I am beginning to see that peace requires learning how to release yesterday properly.

In Mark 4, Jesus teaches that the Word is like seed scattered into soil, and the outcome depends on the condition of the heart that receives it. I am realizing that my heart becomes hardened not only by failure but also by attachment. I carry regret over missed opportunities, words I wish I had said, risks I did not take, and moments when fear held me back. At the same time, I cling to the good parts of yesterday, wanting to relive success, comfort, or joy that has already passed. Both losses shape me. When I refuse to grieve either one, I become stuck between nostalgia and regret. That is where timidity grows.

When I intentionally grieve the lost opportunity and also grieve the goodness of yesterday, something shifts inside me. Grieving what I missed allows me to release shame. Grieving what was good allows me to release attachment. Instead of trying to recreate yesterday or correct it, I become centered in the present moment. I stop living cautiously, trying to protect myself from disappointment or trying to preserve what cannot be kept. Grief becomes an act of surrender that frees me to live boldly and confidently today.

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:7 that God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. Timidity shows up when I am afraid of repeating failure or losing something good again. It makes me hesitant, guarded, and passive. Yet I see now that much of my timidity comes from ungrieved moments. When yesterday remains unresolved, I shrink back from today. But when I bring both loss and gratitude before God and allow myself to mourn honestly, I experience freedom. I no longer need to control outcomes or protect myself from life. I can step forward with courage because my identity is not tied to success or failure but to God’s presence with me.

Self-discipline becomes less about forcing behavior and more about remaining rooted. It is choosing to receive God’s Word deeply enough that it takes hold beyond circumstances. Like good soil, I must clear away the weeds of worry, comparison, and distraction. Grief helps clear that ground. It softens my heart, keeps me humble, and reminds me that every day is both gift and responsibility.

Jesus reminds us that no one can serve two masters. I cannot serve yesterday and follow God fully today. When I release both the disappointments and the blessings of the previous day into God’s hands, I am no longer bound by them. I am free to act, to love, to risk, and to engage life without hesitation. Grieving yesterday centers me. It reminds me that today is the only place obedience exists.

God has not given me a timid spirit. He has given me power to step forward, love to remain open, and discipline to stay faithful. When I grieve honestly, I am no longer trapped by what was or what might have been. I am grounded, present, and free to live boldly and confidently in the life God has placed before me today.

24“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. 

MATTHEW 6:24