“DON’T NEGLECT YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT”
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13). Til I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14). Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying in of the hands of the presbytery. 15). Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16). Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this shall both save thyself, and them that hear thee. 1 TIMOTHY 4:12-16
The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:7, …”the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” But many believers neglect this special empowerment of the Spirit. Although Timothy had some good reasons to forsake his calling from God, Paul advised him to “take pains with these things” and “be absorbed in them”. As you look at Timothy, ask yourself if either of the following situations are hindering you from fully serving the Lord:
Age: No matter how old we are, the Lord wants us to use our spiritual gifts. Because Timothy was young, he could easily have been intimidated by those with more experience. However, youth isn’t our only excuse. Some believers think they’re too old to serve the Lord. Even though our areas of ministry may change over the years, we’re never called into spiritual retirement.
Inadequacy: Have you ever avoided a service opportunity simply because you felt totally unqualified? That’s probably how Timothy felt about leading the church at Ephesus. Our spiritual gifts rarely come to us fully developed. God often requires that we step out in faith and trust Him to work in and through us. Over time, as we obey and serve Him in our areas of giftedness, He increases the effectiveness of our ministry. Is anything keeping you from using your spiritual gifts? Though given to us, these abilities aren’t for us; they’re for the church. To neglect them would not only deprive fellow believers but also rob ourselves: there is joy and blessing in serving others and doing the work God has designated for us.
–IBC
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