What exactly is going on in this passage? I am so glad you asked! Let's look at it together. Take a minute and open your Bible, turn on your iPad, or click on biblegateway.com and find 2 Timothy 1.
You'll find that Paul is writing to encourage Timothy. How do we know this? Just take a look at verse seven - Paul reminded Timothy that God had not given him a spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind. Therefore, something had happened between Paul's first letter and this one that had shaken Timothy's courage. In this letter Paul takes a little time to encourage him. He did this by reminding Timothy of the heritage he had received through his mother and grandmother who were faithful followers of Jesus (see verse five). It is then that Paul says let God stir up the gifts that are inside of you, Timothy. We learn that there must have been a gift inside of Timothy that had settled down at the bottom and was no longer being used. Paul wanted to see Timothy allow God to stir it up.
That is what I want for you today.
Picture this: it's morning. You have woken up, walked down to the coffee pot, brewed your favorite coffee grinds, and poured that delicious first cup. You've added the perfect amount of cream, and perhaps a little sugar, while your taste buds salivate at the anticipation of that first sip. Then, in the middle of this process, the phone rings. Unfortunately, you must rush to the other room to handle the business before you. By the time you return to the coffee, the cream and sugar have settled to the bottom, and that perfect concoction has not come together to create that delicious sip you wanted to enjoy. So, you go to the utensil drawer, pick out a spoon, place it in the cup, and begin to stir. As you do this, the cream, sugar, and coffee become one beautiful, swirling unit that is now ready to satisfy your taste buds as you sip and indulge.
Our lives are similar to the coffee. God has made us. We are His favorite blend. He has a special purpose for us as He pours us into His cup for His use. The Holy Spirit adds the cream and sugar, or gifts, to that cup. It is ready for use. The problem is that we stay stagnant and do not participate in the plan God has designed for us. We prefer to stay on the counter instead of fulfilling our purpose. Most of the time believers want to be used for God's purpose but they, like Timothy, are fearful. Therefore, we sit, and as we sit on the counter, our gifts settle to the bottom of the cup to the point that we forget there were gifts placed within us.
Today is the day we can ask God to stir up the gifts within us.
Some of you are reading this blog and do just that. You share your gifts with the people around you and honor God by fulfilling your purpose. To you I say, "Way to go!" Do not be discouraged or grow weary. Allow the Holy Spirit to continue pouring into you so that you can pour out to others - just like a cup of coffee.
There are others reading this who may be like Timothy, a bit scared to use your gifts. May I encourage you today to go for it? God has not given you a spirit of fear but of love, courage, and a sound mind. You can do it! The Holy Spirit has placed that gift inside of you for such a time as this. If you are unsure of what that gift is, ask the Holy Spirit to tell you. He will. Go for it! Allow God to stir it up.
For those of us who have sat still so long that our gifts have settled to the bottom, I pray that God will stir those gifts up. God has a purpose and a plan for you. You have not been told that you are an encouraging person by chance. You are not hospitable on your own. You do not jump at every chance to serve others because you're a nice person. You do not have a skill or talent because you were slapped with a special skill at birth. Your gifts are not happenstance - they were specifically planned for you. Allow God to stir them up so that you can share them.
I challenge you to wake up tomorrow and drink a cup of coffee, not only because it is delicious, but also because it will remind you to share your gifts with the world around you.
Today you have the chance to be like Timothy and allow God to place His spoon in the cup that is your life, and stir!
For those of us who have sat still so long that our gifts have settled to the bottom, I pray that God will stir those gifts up. God has a purpose and a plan for you. You have not been told that you are an encouraging person by chance. You are not hospitable on your own. You do not jump at every chance to serve others because you're a nice person. You do not have a skill or talent because you were slapped with a special skill at birth. Your gifts are not happenstance - they were specifically planned for you. Allow God to stir them up so that you can share them.
I challenge you to wake up tomorrow and drink a cup of coffee, not only because it is delicious, but also because it will remind you to share your gifts with the world around you.
Today you have the chance to be like Timothy and allow God to place His spoon in the cup that is your life, and stir!
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