1 Timothy 4:14

Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Paul gives Timothy a simple warning.

Do not neglect what God put in you.

At some point Timothy had been set apart for ministry. The elders had laid hands on him. The Lord had made it clear that there was a calling on his life. There was a gift there. Something the Spirit had placed inside him for the sake of others.

And Paul knew something that still happens today.

Gifts can be neglected.

Not necessarily rejected. Just slowly set aside. Life gets busy. Confidence fades. Distractions pile up. Before long the very thing God placed in someone’s life begins to gather dust.

Part of the problem is that we spend a lot of time trying to fix our weaknesses. We pour energy into becoming something we were never designed to be. Meanwhile the strengths God actually gave us sit unused.

Imagine a man with a powerful singing voice who decides he would rather be a drummer. So he spends years struggling behind a drum set while the voice that could fill a room never gets used. That happens more often than we realize.

God gives different gifts to different people.

If you are gifted to lead worship, then lead worship. If you connect naturally with children, step into that space. If you thrive in quiet one on one conversations, do not force yourself into a spotlight that drains you.

Go where you are strong.

That is usually where the Lord has already placed His hand.

Paul’s encouragement to Timothy still rings true. Do not let the gift fade. Stir it up. Step into it. Use it for the good of others and the glory of God.

Whatever God has called you to do, lean into it with energy and determination.

A gift that is used grows stronger.

A gift that is neglected slowly disappears.