Stirring Up Our Minds
Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. – 2 Timothy 1:6
Recently I decided to paint part of our house. We purchased our home about two years ago, and along with the house, we
inherited some leftover paint from the previous owner. The trim needed a new coat, and since I had very little experience painting, my brother offered
to help me.
When we opened a quart of what was supposed to be dark-brown paint, the color of the trim on our house, the color was more like a dirty purple. The paint
had been sitting for more than two years. My first instinct was to toss it, but my brother suggested we stir the paint. As we stirred, the paint regained
its true color.
This incident brought to my mind how Paul reminded Timothy to stir up the gift of God, which he had already received. God gives us many wonderful gifts.
We are especially thankful for His gifts of salvation, sanctification, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
When we are first saved, there is a fresh overflowing joy and an abundance of love for God and for others in our hearts. We delight in the Lord. As we
seek for more of God, He sanctifies us, and we find a deeper love and sensitivity to Him and His will. We discover a deeper walk with God that results
from our increased trust in Him and our consecrations to Him. At the time the Lord baptizes us with His precious Holy Spirit, we truly feel a new motivation
and power to reach out to others and tell them of God’s wonderful gifts.
When we first receive a gift from God, it is fresh and exciting. However, as time goes on, if we are not careful, that gift can lose its freshness. We
want to hold on to the excitement of the Gospel, and preserve the gifts that God gives us. If this means that we must stir up the gifts that we have
already received, then let’s start stirring!