2 Timothy 1:6 "For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you..."

“For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:6).

Question:

This resonates. I was reading “Discover the Power Within You” and that phrase struck me. I’ve been struggling with my purpose. All my life, I’ve been drawn to the arts, especially writing, but the pull of making money, of security has kept that writing in an acceptable form—journalism, speech writing, teaching and coaching. When I venture into fiction, I feel the thrill of creation, but I can’t seem to finish anything. I know that my ego gets in the way, but I don’t know how to get it out of the way; and now I’m at the point where I don’t write at all, unless it’s for money. I want to stir up the gift again. I want to become like a little child again, but how?

Comment:

Paul is writing to a student he clearly cares about deeply. He had previously ordained Timothy to carry the ministry of Jesus Christ forward. It appears that Timothy has perhaps become discouraged, or perhaps distracted. Paul writes to “rekindle the gift,” and his words are relevant to each of us, for we are all spiritual beings who have come into human lives to express and share specific and essential spiritual gifts. Those gifts may relate to the work we do for a living; or they may not. The important thing is that we know ourselves to be clearly connected to that spiritual purpose—not because we are praised and rewarded, but because of the childlike sense of sheer joy we feel. Jesus does indeed call us to become as little children in order to enter the kingdom consciousness. Little children don’t spend their time and energy according to what they feel they are required to do, or according to a need to impress other kids. They spend their time doing what they love—maybe a whole variety of different things at different times. The problem may lie in your distinction between writing you get paid to do and writing that creatively fulfills you. No one is imposing that distinction upon you. Certainly the infinite creative energy of God is not refusing to flow through your paid writing assignments. Take the same assignment you might grudgingly do because you need the money, and instead, surrender it to the creative Power within you, seeking to express through you. I’m reminded of Marsha Sinetar’s great book title Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow. Of course, if you do what you love, afraid that the money won’t follow, it won’t. And if you write only for the purpose of making money, that’s what you’ll achieve: money. But if you affirm for yourself that every assignment is a divinely ordained opportunity to express your unique creative power and gifts, that will become your truth. And the truth will set you free!   Blessings!

Rev. Ed