Fan to Flame

 It’s interesting how life comes in phases, and each one can make you a shadow of the previous in various aspects of life, because of the emphasis of different seasons. There’s definitely someone reading this and it appears like a lot of your efforts and attention is on your family and its smooth running. On the other hand, your career may be taking the most of your concentration in this season, attaining mastery and relevance. It’s interesting how for different persons, God plants one or two people who tend to bring to the fore how that certain things should not be buried in the midst of life’s activities.

Paul sends a letter to Timothy to highlight an important aspect of his existence, which was to paying attention to the deposits of God's Spirit in him. This was highlighted in the scripture below:

2Tim. 1:6 (NIV). "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God."

I imagine that Timothy was carried away by many other activities which were necessary for his living but somehow shoved away certain giftings that were to form a part of the arsenals for his destiny. He needed this reminder from Paul, to not sleep away the potentials inside of him. And this is exactly what I believe that God is saying to you today.  If you were to question yourself truthfully, would you wholly say that in the midst of your activities, you have intentionally grown in the gifts you possess from God? Can you say that you have sat with God in prayer to refine those gifts? Would you say that you have actively exercised yourself in these things to be better and do better?

It’s interesting that it’s not enough to fan those gifts. There is an extent to which it should be fanned, and that’s to flame. What’s the character of flame? Flame is cutting edge, sharping edge. Masterpiece. It reflects growth.

Learn all there is to be about it.

Glow. 

Become so bright you cannot be ignored.

Would you say that you have become a cutting edge? Would you say that you are intentionally grooming yourself in the path that’s required for the best expression of those gifts? I’m talking about spiritual gifts here. Can you say for a surety that you are on a path that fans to flame the abilities of God in you? 

Apostle Paul immediately links it up to the Spirit of God, who addresses the ‘what ifs’ that arise from thinking about people’s approval of your flame. The Spirit enables you to live out the expressions of your gift with confidence while loving people. This dowses pride. This is the highest expression of character, and you become all of this without losing your mind. That kind of stability of life is what the Holy Spirit gives as we walk with him in life. It is with this in mind that we must fan to flame that which has been gifted to us. 

I invite you today to do an introspection.

Are you living a full life?

Are you fanning the flame?

Are you shinning as brightly as you should?

May the eyes of your understanding be open, so that you may see.

Love and Light,

Dr. Grace.