Digging out of a Spiritual Rut!

2 Timothy 1

New International Version (NIV)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

² To Timothy, my dear son:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thanksgiving

³ I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. ⁴ Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel

⁶ 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. ⁷ For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. ⁸ So 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. ⁹ He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ¹⁰ but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹ And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. ¹² That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
¹³ What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

In today's text the Apostle Paul reminds young Timothy of his journey in faith. Paul starts with Timothy's upbringing in the Church through the leadership of his grandmother and mother. In verse 6, Paul reminds Timothy to "Fan into the Flame the gift of God" which is in you!  Through all of this Paul is encouraging Timothy to remember where he has come from and stand strong on what God has done in his life.   

Have you ever had a day where you felt like giving up? Have you ever been somewhere and knew you had the gifts or graces to do ministry but just didn't feel like? I imagine that Timothy was in a spiritual rut like I feel on those days. Today God is reminding you and I through this text that we must remember where we come from and all that God has brought us through. Just like Timothy God has entrusted you and I with spiritual gifts that we must fan like a flame for the glory of God! With the help of the Holy Spirit whenever we find ourselves in a spiritual rut we must pull it together because there is much work to be done. You and I already know that the harvest is plentiful but the labhorers are few. Therefore we must get to work and we can not afford a day off !

Dear God bless us on our journey through life today and entrust us with someone we meet, allowing us to share boldly your story which is our story. This we ask so that some may accept your love and salvation today in Jesus name. Amen.