You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. -2 Timothy 3:14-15
John Kennedy, Jr. died in a plane crash at which time he was piloting. He died because he did not have his instrument rating. That means that he had not learned to fly by watching the instrument panel on the dashboard of his plane. When one doesn't have that knowledge, they basically fly by eyesight, what they can see. However, if such a person finds himself in a thick cloud, as John Kennedy did, such one can experience vertigo, which means one becomes disoriented and loses all sense of equilibrium. Up can seem like down and down can seem like up, which is basically what happened to Kennedy, causing him to fly his plane right into the Atlantic Ocean.
There are many believers who "fly" the Christian life in the same manner, by what they can see and feel. God says that is a problem. As Christians, our instrument panel is the Word of God. We must learn to trust our instrument panel more than we trust our feelings or what we can see. We must live by faith in God and His Word.
In our passage at the top, the Apostle Paul, speaking to Timothy, speaks of Timothy being "convinced" of the things he was taught. It is one thing to hear the truths of God's Word, another to become convinced that the truths of the Word of God are the absolutely only guide for life. The word for "convinced" is only used here in all of the New Testament. It means to confirm, assure, establish or be trustworthy. Equally important is that the verb gives the idea that Timothy, at one point, had come to a state of being convinced in the trustworthiness of God's truth.
Paul, who knew well of Timothy's propensity for timidity, was reminding him of that fact. Anyone who has taken the Word of God seriously probably has had a moment when he has come to a crisis and has had a choice as to whether he will lean on the Word of God or his own instinct or feelings.There are times when every feeling inside of us tells us to run or fight or fold like a house of cards.
We, in this day where the giant of Covid-19 looms tall and ominous, must be reminded that reality is only found in the divine instrument panel of God's truth. We must not cave into the anxieties and fears of our day. We must resist the inclination to live by our emotions and senses. Equally, we need to make a beeline to the Word of God, seeking comfort and confidence in a sovereign God who rules over all. If we have not arrived at that place of being convinced (and confident) of the trustworthiness of God's truth found in His promises, we must spend more time building that confidence. If we have had that moment of confidence in the past but now struggle with divided feelings and loyalties, let's repent and run to the arms of God.
Most of all, do not let the size of the giant in your life determine the size of your God.
The law (precepts) of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. -Psalm 19:7