Allow me to share with you my thoughts about staying on track.
First of all, let me say that I understand how easy it is to get off track in the Christian life. Rather than building up a foundation of faith, we can get distracted with what others are experiencing. We hear these amazing messages about people who moved in great faith, had an incredible encounter with the Spirit of God, or share a testimony about something miraculous; and we immediately step off of the track that we were on and begin to follow after someone else's experiences.
The truth is that I believe the church cannot handle 52 life changing messages in a year. What we can handle, and what we should be encouraging, is building on the right foundation. Discovering the goodness of God, immersing ourselves in our identity in Christ, and recognizing our destiny in Him will keep us moving forward. Far too many Christians are trying to move into encounters without establishing the right foundation. It's a faulty approach to a lasting spiritual life.
Paul's words to Timothy should give us great encouragement. In the midst of his ministry, Paul reminds his young disciple of the encounter he had with the elders of the church. He reminds him of the grace that was imparted into his life. And he makes sure that Timothy understands that the way to move forward is to not neglect the gifts that are in him but to practice them - be immersed in them - and to grow in them. What a word for us today! In a culture that loves to hear new things and move into new arenas of faith, it's easy to get sidetracked or to get ahead of our own progress. I've done it in my own life. I have sought to move in things that I wasn't ready to experience. The reason I wasn't ready is because I had neglected what had already been passed on to me. I was trying to reach the pinnacle of faith without establishing the base of the mountain.
A good "rule" to remember is that we cannot build from the top down. While I am challenged and encouraged to hear the stories of great faith in others, I realize that it took them a while to get where they are now. They too had to build upon the foundation that others had left them. They too had to learn through trial and error. And they too had to be built up. Jesus' words to His disciples need to ring true into our lives today: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock." {Matthew 7:24}. We cannot allow these words to be tucked away into a child's story. They are a great principle for life.
Do Not Neglect The Gift That Is Within You
- While many Christians never say it, they often feel that their particular gifting is inferior to the gifting of others. Rather than focus in on what they already possess, they simply want to move in the gifting of another. This is critical...don't neglect what you already have. Learn everything you can about the gifts you possess. Learn what they can do in the life of others. Learn how to appropriate the grace that is necessary to function in them. Then...
Practice These Things
- Once you have discovered the gift (or gifts) that you possess and learn all that is possible with them, put them into practice. Don't despise it, USE it! If you have the gift of service then serve. If you have a gift of encouragement then encourage. If you have a gift of ministry then minister. Paul puts it this way in his letter to the church of Rome: "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us...use it in proportion to (your) faith." {Romans 12:6}. Peter also talked about the necessity of using what we have: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace" {1 Peter 4:10}. The Bible makes it clear to us that even though we pursue the gifts of God that we practice what we already possess. We learn to use what God has given us. Then the parable of the talents becomes true in our experience - we receive more to work with.
Immerse Yourself In Them
- Here's where we get an even greater understanding of the gifts. Think of it this way: If you wanted to enter into a particular trade then it's important that you learn everything you can possibly learn. Most people will spend a great deal of time and money to educate themselves. I'm not saying that you have to go to a specialized school to learn how to operate in your gifts. I am saying that you need to take your gift and sit at the feet of the Master. Allow Him to teach you. Allow the Spirit of God to take you to new levels in the gift(s). Allow yourself to become a "specialist". Kris Vallotton talks about this principle in his own life as it relates to the prophetic. When the Lord shared a word with him about functioning in this type of ministry, he read everything he could get his hands on. He immersed himself into that type of teaching. He watched, listened, and learned everything he could. Today, he is one of the most prophetic people you will ever meet.
So That All May See Your Progress
- The result of caring for you gift(s), practice, and immersing yourself into it will create a life where others recognize what God has placed within you. You won't have to run around saying "I'm gifted in _____________" because they will automatically see it. They will experience it through your life. And it will bring glory to God.
WHAT'S THE POINT?
- The point is that you possess a gift that brings an aspect of the nature of Christ into the life of someone else. It may seem small in the beginning but God will bring the increase. Don't neglect it. Instead...allow yourself to be built up in your faith. Learn about who you are in Christ. Identity is so crucial. Learn all you can about the goodness of God. Learn what it means to be conformed into the image of His Son because that is your destiny. What you will discover in the process is that you will be able to stay on track. While you may go through seasons where you don't see the growth or you may feel behind, at least you won't be running ahead of where you need to be because that is much more dangerous.
Always remember that God is with you in the journey. Don't lose heart.
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