"Beloved, I remind you, to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands."
2 Timothy 1:6
I really love the phrase "stir into flame!" It is so vivid and paints such a great picture of our hearts on fire for God! We all have been on top of the spiritual mountain, where we have a powerful spiritual experience and never want to leave. Fact is, though, we must descend the mountain and go back to real life, which may not keep us on the spiritual high we just encountered. St. Paul is telling Timothy here that the embers of spiritual joy may need to be fanned into flame once again. And how does one do this? Well, I can think of a couple things...First, spending time in silence and solitude, reading God's Word--really digesting it--such as in Lectio Divina. Spending time alone with God is like those bellows we use on a fireplace, concentrating air into the embers and giving them what they need to burst into flame again. Second, perhaps the opposite, joining with others in sharing our spiritual journeys. Sharing with others gives us the chance to voice what God has done in us and for us and having those words out there can fuel the fire within. Also, hearing of others' journeys can nurture our own faith. We heard in a great homily last night that one cannot have faith in a vacuum, our faith flourishes best when shared. So, this autumn Monday, let's consider how we can "stir into flame" the fire that God has placed into each of us! Blessings on your day, love, heidi
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