“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, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim 1:6-7 ESV).
I am prone to timidity. Confidence often feels elusive, and I am quick to doubt my gifts. Perhaps you can relate. Here is the tension I feel. On the one hand I fear that a confident posture will be perceived as arrogant. But on the other hand, I want to live out God’s calling on my life. I think Paul’s words to his protégé addresses this dilemma with wisdom and clarity. So, if you want to know what it looks like to confidently use your Spirit-given gifts I invite you to reflect with me on 2 Timothy 1:6-7.
Remember the Gift Giver
In these verses Paul reminds Timothy to remain committed to faithful ministry through a vivid word picture, “fan into flame the gift of God.” Paul previously references Timothy’s gift in 1 Timothy 4:14. In this passage, the surrounding context suggests Paul is referring to Timothy’s aptitude for exhortation, and his ability to effectively teach Scripture (1 Tim 4:13, 15-16). Timothy is to rekindle his gift so that it is ablaze with intensity. How is he to do this? By remembering where his gift came from; his gift came from God.
Humility is Not Timidity
Secondly, note that God did not give Timothy a “spirit of fear.” Other glosses of this word are “timidity” or “cowardice.”[1] If God gives us a gift, we can trust that he will empower us to use it for the building up of the body of Christ and for the advancement of the gospel. To recoil in fear is to deny the work of the Spirit in us. Timidity is not humility. A concealed gift is a subtle way of denying the movement of God in our lives.
The Threefold Balance
Finally, God has given Timothy a spirit of “power,” “love,” and “self-control.” These three qualities provide a helpful balance. If we exercise our gift only from a posture of power, we run the risk of steamrolling over people. Power needs to be tempered by love. Or, to say it another way, it is power motivated by love—love for God and love for others. But we also need to exercise self-control. We need to know the right time to exercise our gifts.
It is not arrogant to use our gifts. Along with Timothy let’s remember the Gift-giver. Let’s be encouraged to boldly use our gifts through the work of the Spirit. And let’s remember the wise balance of power, love and self-control.
[1] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 316.
About the Author
Tucker Anderson
Tucker Anderson served at Calvary Church 2015 to 2023. He is a graduate of Bethel Seminary and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His passion is helping people develop a biblical worldview by understanding the relationship between the Old Testament and New Testament.