2 Timothy 1:5-7
I remember your
genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois
and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into
flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of
fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
This
was one of the scriptures I was given in Honduras, it was written on a card and
it was lying on the table when I sat down for breakfast. It is a powerful piece of scripture to start
my day. It is so easy to feel inadequate
to the tasks that are set in front of me sometime. I was tired that morning and on the schedule
for Evangelism. I was not afraid of Evangelism
but more about being able to connect and find common ground with the Honduran people
in those short moments that day. We
seemed so different and in many ways we are, but there are some small pieces of
common ground to find. For me it was
kids and family.
I
am often shocked at how God will put something in front of me and I begin to
worry if I can pull it off. Then I am
reminded that it is not a solo mission, God’s spirit is in me. But, I am quick
to create my own roadblock and then struggle to see my way through them. But the roadblocks only exist in my mind, not
in the mind of God and not in reality.
It
is like Paul tells Timothy in this passage, Timothy has been given a gift to be
used to serve God. How much different is
it for us? The Jesus told his followers
that the spirit would come and gift them, and Paul reminds Timothy and us to fan
the flame and put it to work.
If
God gives us the passion, and set our heart to motion we have to realize that
he will empower us to see it through. I think
it is also good to put ourselves around others to help fan the flames for
us. Let other people see in us what refuse to see
in ourselves.
You
will not know what God can do in your life until you step out and let his
spirit work in your life. So, Just do
it!
I
pray that God will work in your life this New Year and move you in new
direction past self imposed roadblocks that have stood in your way too
long. Have a blessed New Year! For God has not given us a spirit of fear and
timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
