What we can fail to realize about the exercise of a spiritual gift is its ability to shake up our life and the lives of others in ways we did not anticipate. Their use will bring light into dark places and challenge demonic strongholds – not just within the Church, but in the wider society. The fearless exercise of spiritual gifts will not always make for smooth sailing in our relationships when they are exercised in places where compromise or hidden sin has been allowed to roam unchallenged.

There’s a verse I have read many times but had not explored its connection with other Scripture. This week, I read that verse once again but this time a light went on in my understanding, “I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released from jail. If he comes here soon, I will bring him with me to see you” (Hebrews 13:23). Timothy, a man depicted in Scripture as reserved and timid, was challenged by Paul to not allow his fearful reservations and timidity to get in the way of fulfilling his calling and his assignment as a leader within the Church.

When the light went on in my understanding of Hebrews 13:23, I realized by obeying Paul’s command to Timothy in the pastoral epistles to stir up the gifts in his life his obedience may be what landed him in prison. Both I and II Timothy were written a few years before the book of Hebrews so the progression of Timothy’s obedience and its consequence lines up with that possibility.

Paul had to mention twice, once in I Timothy and again in II Timothy about Timothy engaging in his gifting. In I Timothy 4:14 Paul wrote, “Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.”   Then in II Timothy, a letter written two years later, Timothy was still lagging in his obedience. Paul wrote a second time, “This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love, and self-discipline”  (II Timothy 1: 6-7).

The gifts of the Spirit were not given to coddle us. When used properly they will warn, correct, and challenge what is not aligned with God’s will. They will also console and comfort, but never at the expense of saying hard things or performing fearful acts of obedience.

Some of you are being invited by the Lord to stir up and fan into flames the gifts in your life that have been allowed to become a diminishing ember. Your obedience may challenge the stability of old relationships. Your current circle of fellowship might change. Or, like it was with Timothy, his obedience landed him in prison when his gifting began to challenge the evil of the surrounding culture.