Encouragement for Today

April 12, 2024 Unwrapping Our Gifts for God’s Glory DORINA LAZO GILMORE-YOUNG Lee en español

“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.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (NLT)

Throughout my elementary and middle school years, I spent many hours at the dance studio — starting with tap and then signing up for ballet and jazz. The music moved me, but it took practice and discipline to get the steps just right.

One of my teachers used a large stick to pound out the rhythm of our dances on the wooden floor as we practiced. She wanted to make sure every movement was precise but also flowed with the mood of the music. Sometimes she would demonstrate sections of the dance for us. I deeply longed to dance like her — elegantly expressing the emotion of the song with every sashay and compass turn.

Just as I had a dance mentor, a young man named Timothy in the Bible had a spiritual mentor in the Apostle Paul. Paul wrote the book of 2 Timothy as a letter to encourage Timothy to follow in his footsteps and to fix Timothy’s focus on the faith.

“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” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

When Paul said “fan into flames,” he used a Greek word that essentially meant “fire it up.” He was encouraging Timothy to ignite his spiritual gifts and let them burn for others to see.

Sometimes learning something new is surprisingly hard. But as we unwrap our gifts, nurture them, and invest time in practicing, we make progress toward full flourishing.

In this passage, Paul was also addressing Timothy’s lack of confidence. Timothy may have felt unsure of his gifts, but Paul reminded him that fear and timidity do not come from God.

Maybe you’ve felt this way too. I know I have. The voices saying you’re not good enough, you can’t do it like her, and you’re going to mess this up seem to be shouting from every direction.

We need a community to cheer us on in our giftings. Timothy needed Paul’s coaching to remind him that God had given him gifts and urge him to keep seeking God's purpose. I needed my dance teacher to pound out the rhythm and demonstrate the movements of the dance so I could find the flow. We all need mentors, teachers, fellow believers and friends to encourage us in the dance of life.

It takes courage to step out and use our gifts with power, love and self-discipline. And God has already given us that courage through the Holy Spirit within us. So put on your dance shoes, my friend — it’s time to get moving.

Dear God, help me to hear Your voice above the rest. Ignite the gifts within me, and give me courage to use them for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young’s new multicultural children’s book, Kailani’s Gift, releases on April 16. This colorful picture book is a celebration of family, Filipino heritage and dance, showcasing the value of patience, perseverance, and blessing others with your gifts and talents. Kailani watches her siblings practice a traditional dance for their grandparents' anniversary party and longs to join them, but keeping up with the rhythm of the Tinikling is much harder than she imagined! With Daddy's help, Kailani practices step by step. Will she be able to learn the Tinikling in time to surprise her Lolo and Lola? Preorder your copy today!

What kind of questions do you have about counseling? In the final episode of Season 6 of the Therapy & Theology podcast, Lysa TerKeurst and Dr. Joel Muddamalle talk with Licensed Professional Counselor Jim Cress about what is the purpose of counseling, how to find the right counselor for you, what to do if you can’t currently afford counseling, and more! If you’ve ever been a little skeptical about anything related to this topic … this episode is for you! Listen here.

ENGAGE

Subscribe to Dorina’s weekly Glorygram for encouragement as you chase God’s glory on life’s unexpected trails and cultivate your God-given gifts.

Follow her on Instagram @DorinaGilmore for daily glimpses of His glory.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (ESV).

God grants each of us spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6-8). We are called to use these talents, passions and unique wirings for His glory. How do the above Bible passages encourage you to ignite your gifts? Share your thoughts in the comments.

© 2024 by Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young. All rights reserved.