1-2 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 

3-4 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not  crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.

7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 2 Timothy 2:1-7 English Standard Version)

The apostle Paul, knowing that his life would soon be over, wrote to encourage his friend and fellow believer, Timothy, to not lose heart because of the sufferings he saw in Paul. That's an ongoing challenge for Christians everywhere, especially in countries where the hostility towards Christians is strong. We can become fearful for ourselves when we see the suffering our brothers and sisters experience. What did Paul urge Timothy to do? (vs 1-2)

He was to look to Christ for the strength to stand firm. Christ is full of grace and will not withhold such help to those who call upon Him. And then he was to make sure that he passed the gospel message on in all it's fullness to men who would be faithful in teaching it to the next generation. Persecution must never stop the gospel from going to succeeding generations. We may have to work discreetly, but we must never stop living the truth we have received, and sharing it when we have opportunity. Paul then gives Timothy three examples from daily life to spur him on.

Apart from knowing that suffering could be part of their lot, what was the other important factor in being a good soldier? (vs 3-4)

They need to single minded in serving the one they have sworn loyalty to. History has many stories of soldiers willing to die for their commander, how much more should Christians be willing to endure hardships in serving their Saviour! What about athletes? Apart from the training and discipline that enables them to perform well, what is an even more important matter if they hoped to be victorious? (vs 5)

They must compete according to the rules. So too with believers. We mustn't twist God's word to make life more comfortable for ourselves, or to suit our desires, but we must serve the Lord in the same way that He taught the disciples, and in the pattern Paul passed on to Timothy. Paul uses the example of the hard working farmer who ploughs the land and sows the field to suggest that serving Christ with the same sort of dedication and effort will lead to good results.

Having given Timothy some examples of what it takes to overcome his fears and to be willing to endure the hardships that come with being a Christian, what does Paul urge Timothy to do in vs 7?

To think over the things he has been telling him. And the more he thought about them, the more the Lord would give him insight and understanding. That is an important truth for all of us, but one which I suspect is being lost sight of in our cluttered and rushed generation. Do we make the effort to ponder over God's word? I made some suggestions as to what I thought the illustration of the soldier, athlete and farmer were about. But perhaps there's more. The wonderful promise Paul makes is that if we do take time to think about what we read in God's word, “the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” He will help us in whatever situation we are in, and whatever fears we are facing, and will bring His wisdom into it. We will be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.