What an amazing feeling it is to always receive gifts? If only everyday people can buy presents for me, I would be one of the happiest people in the world. However, God has been highlighting to me a point about the gift of receiving. It is, indeed, a mundane thing to open a present that we do that without much thought. But God emphasizes this part.
Even if you receive a present, but do not open it – you are missing its capacity to do something in your life: may it be to decorate or beautify your house, to add utility to your car, or improve the security of your house. Apart from receiving the gift, there is also joy in opening it and putting it to use.
Now, I wonder, are there gifts from people that I have not opened yet? More importantly, are there gifts from God that I have not opened yet? I know these presents are for me, according to His word, but maybe I have not put to use it just yet.
Maybe it’s time to unwrap them.
One of my favourite gifts that God gave me is in 2 Timothy 1:7.
God did not give me the spirit of fear but the spirit of power, the spirit of love, and the spirit of sound mind.
More often than not, I groan to God about my thoughts – destructive, carnal, depressing, fear-attracting, and anxiety-inducing thoughts. I would cry – even until now, then complain, before I get to my knees and surrender these horrible thoughts to God. I complain about how powerless I am in overcoming them. I know God is orchestrating and working things for my good but I felt like I am in this never-ending loop that sucks me into the blackest and heaviest of voids. I remember asking God, what should I do to overcome these attacks on my mind? What more should I do to overcome these attacks on my mind?
I would be honest. If I am to say that question out loud, you can hear resentment and reproach and entitlement behind the words. In my head I spoke like there is something else I can do when Jesus did everything for me already – on the cross. God is not just telling what it is as if He delights in my suffering. Then I realize, that in my brokenness – even in my brokenness, I wasn’t just angry. I was proud.
However, God in His kindness and gentleness, reminded me that there are gifts for me on the counter that I haven’t opened yet. Yes – they are for me. They bear my name and no one can take it or steal it. But then again, I am losing the point of having gifts if I don’t open them.
Power? Love? Sound mind? God answered me about what I forgot to do. I forgot to open these gifts.
I should definitely unwrap these and learn to use them. I thank God that this is not just a one-time big time gift that will soon run out. But it is part of an everlasting gift package that God gave when He gave His own son for us.
It may take time opening this gift. It may take a longer time utilizing this gift but the great news is that it is for us. God is there to help us open and utilize these eternal presents as it is His desire for us to have power, love, and sound mind.
I know God gave me everything to accomplish His purpose in my life. It is just a matter of opening the gifts He gave me.
