Stir up the Gift!

"Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

2 Timothy 1:6-7

Through the Holy Spirit, God gives spiritual gifts to His children to be exercised for the edification of the church and the glory of God.  Timothy was a faithful believer and pastor, but even he needed the exhortation from a brother to "stir up the gift of God" divinely placed within him.  His gift smoldered instead of burning with fervent and intensity.  Just like the wood in a dying fire needs to be stirred with a poker to burn hotter and brighter, Timothy needed to stir up his gift.  This phrase is ambiguous for a profitable purpose.  If a specific gift was mentioned here, it would limit Timothy's and our responsibility to remember and take intentional steps to stir up only a particular gift.  We do not know the gift, but it was a gift which came from God Timothy was exhorted to stir up.  All gifts God gives, therefore, ought to be remembered and stirred up.

I have learned I can easily settle for activity instead of actively seeking God and become passive, waiting for God to "stir me" when by virtue of receiving a gift from God I ought to stir it up.  We have all received gifts from friends and family which have become dusty, neglected, or forgotten in a box somewhere, and the same can be true with gifts we receive from God.  God does not give gifts to elevate our status in the church, so we can impress others, or any other selfish reason:  God gives gifts so we would use them for the benefit of all.  Unless we know what gift God has imparted to us, how can we stir it up to use it?  If we believe the gift God has given is only for me, why would I think to use it for the benefit of others?  We can sing "Stir in me!" until our voices fail, but it does not release us from our responsibility to stir up the spiritual gift God has given us.

The next verse provides a reason perhaps why Timothy needed a reminder and exhortation from Paul:  he was afraid to exercise his gift because of what others might think.  God had given him a gift, yet he was loath to use it lest he be judged, castigated, rejected, or any other excuse whispered into his ears by a spirit of fear.  A spirit of fear had quenched his gift, like sand thrown on a fire.  The devil loves it when Christians are afraid, for should we give place to fear we cannot walk in the love of Christ.  1 John 4:17-18 reads, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."  If God's love has grown to maturity in our hearts, we will not fear eternal judgment by God - nor the judgments of men.  God has given us a spirit of power, of love, and a sound mind.  The fearful person is weak because they look to their own strength and abilities.  The fearful person is unable to walk in God's love and leans on their own understanding.  A spirit of fear brings confusion, doubts, and uncertainty able to cloud the decisions of even a steadfast, gifted believer like Timothy.

Allow me to remind you, dear brother and sister in Christ whom God has provided a spiritual gift:  stir up the gift of God which is within you.  When God sovereignly gives spiritual gifts, He provides the ability and wisdom through the indwelling Holy Spirit and His Word to regularly exercise the gift in love.  Instead of being influenced by a spirit of fear, remember God has provided the Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.  God asked Moses, "What is in your hand?"  Moses carried a rod, and God employed that rod to do many miracles.  In Christ God has provided everything you need to do His work and perform His will.  Whatever God has given you, stir up the gift and remember to use it faithfully and regularly for Him!