Kindle the Call (2 Timothy 1:6,7)

A calling to ministry—service to God—is something that needs to be cultivated and maintained. Actually there is a lot of good in life that is that way: health, marriage, relationships, etc. We are people that require discipline to maintain good habits. A call to ministry is no different. I have a long, long list of people I have known in life who have felt a call from God, had it confirmed by the fellowship of believers, but who are not doing what they were called to do. They are not merely inactive. They are simply not capable to fulfill their call any longer, if they ever were to begin with. They either never acquired the ability needed, or lost it somewhere along the way.

A calling is very much like a spark or an ember. It must be cared for and fueled or it will die out. If it is fanned and fueled it can grow. Here Paul is speaking to Timothy, who’s roll is one of leadership—helping and equipping others to fulfill their ministries—but this truth applies to all Christian activity, to all the tasks and ministries God gives to His followers.

And one of the strongest dampeners to any call is fear. Too often we do not act because we fear: failure, ridicule, persecution, embarrassment, etc. But our calling comes with a Spirit, the Helper, God Himself in our lives. He does not bring fear but rather the power to accomplish the task, the motivation to feed the call, and the discipline to grow and increase in the skills and abilities needed to perform the ministries we are given.