Your spiritual gift shouldn’t be an ember …

I still remember the day I arrived in Waikiki as a new resident of Hawaii.

After dropping my bags in my temporary lodging, I walked the short block to Waikiki Beach, turned to my left and saw the grandeur of the extinct volcano, Diamond Head, rising majestically at the edge of town.

The beauty of the place I found myself in just about took my breath away; I felt as if I were standing in a post card.

The beauty of that place never faded with me. Over time, it never became commonplace, and I considered that to be a real blessing for me. Not everyone has the opportunity to live in such an extraordinary place, and I never wanted to take its beauty for granted.

I had lived in other beautiful places, but as what often happens when we become familiar with some place or thing (or person), the initial radiance or beauty of it can fade.

Have you ever been out and about and suddenly stopped to realize the environment around you really is quite remarkable? That’s because we can quickly make even extraordinary things common for us. We have to build into our lives a discipline to keep our eyes open to the value and beauty of the people, places, and things that surround us.

That’s similar to the situation the Apostle Paul brings to Timothy’s attention, only in this case Paul is referring to a spiritual gifting:

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you,” 2 Timothy 1:6.

While Paul and Timothy were separated, the spiritual gift given to Timothy began to wane, and Paul urges Timothy to rekindle it (literally, to stir it up) until it once again became a flame burning brightly with energy.

Just as we have the capability of quenching or stifling the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19), we also are able to rekindle the gifts of the Spirit. An ember may not be a flame, but it still has fire in it, and with some kindling and attention, it can be fanned into a roaring flame once again. That’s Paul’s message for Timothy, to fan into a robust flame the spiritual gift God had given him.

Is the spiritual gift you’ve received from God a brightly burning flame? Or has it become so familiar and common to you that you have allowed it to fade? If so, I encourage you as Paul did Timothy to fan into flames the spiritual gift God has given you. Make time for refreshing and to stir the ember of your spiritual gift into a rekindled fire!

Scotty