“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you.”
2 Timothy 1:6

What are you to do when it seems nothing is going right? When there is no light at the end of the tunnel? When it appears that your hopes and dreams are never going to be realized?

You are to do as Timothy was instructed to do: Stir yourself up!

What does it mean to stir oneself up? In the above scripture, the word “stir” in the Greek means: to kindle, to inflame one’s zeal, mind and strength. God puts all we need into us, but He does not do it for us – He tells US to stir ourselves up!

The word is also used in the Old Testament (2 Samuel 5:24). The Lord told David to stir himself up and go out and slay the Philistines, and that God would go before him. In this case, the Hebrew word for “stir” means: to be decisive. In other words, “make a choice”. David could have chosen to stay behind, but instead He stirred himself up and charged forward – trusting in the Lord. It is important to note that David did have a choice. So do you, so do I.

So, what does it look like? When you don’t want to get up, you get up and get going anyway. When you are afraid to do the things you need to do, you do them afraid. When you are sad, you praise God anyway. When you are tempted to give up, you go to the Word and fill yourself up with hope.

Keep your eyes on the prize – He is faithful!

Keep the faith!