In The Face Of Opposition

When we run into trials in life, sometimes we stop using our God-given gift.

Key points:

Every person has unique God-given gifts, and even in the face of hardship or opposition, we are encouraged not to give up on using those gifts to serve and bless others.
Drawing on 2 Timothy, Paul explains that adversity is a normal part of life and is to be expected. Adversity can challenge people to lose confidence in their calling, but God calls them to “rekindle” their gifts instead.
Rather than being a reason to quit, adversity can become the reason for why we urgently need to use our gifts to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Each of us has a God-given gift or ability, something that we’re able to do better than just about anyone else.

But when we run into opposition and trials in life, sometimes the first thing we want to do is stop using that gift. We stop living out who God made us to be.

Berni Dymet encourages us to discover the hidden gems within ourselves. God’s gifting can actually serve as a springboard for achieving our dreams – no matter what obstacles we may face.

Though life can present its share of challenges, adversity doesn’t have to keep us from making the most out of our unique gifts and blessing others. Although it’s easy to be discouraged, we can trust God to bring good out of every challenging situation.

Using our God-given gifts

The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 1:6, to rekindle the gift of God that is within us through the laying on of hands. Then in 2 Timothy 1:14 it says to guard the good treasure entrusted to us with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

‘Timothy was struggling amidst the adversity of pastoring a growing church,’ says Berni. ‘He was at risk of losing sight of his God given gifts. So the Apostle Paul writes to him, exhorting him to rekindle that gift. Why? Because adversity was tearing away at him.’

The Bible tells us distressing times will come. Yet it seems that Timothy, perhaps like us, wasn’t expecting adversity. It’s not something we hope for or look forward to. And invariably one of the biggest impacts on us is that sense of surprise.

‘But Paul says this is the reality,’ says Berni. ‘This is what’s going to happen. Don’t be surprised. People are going to come against you. They’re going to be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, haters of good. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.’

Encourage and comfort those around us

We don’t expect to find those people in our churches, families or workplaces. But Paul is warning us they are there.

Adversity is not an excuse to give up on doing good. We can’t give up using our God given gifts to love, bless, encourage and comfort those around us.

‘I believe this is reality,’ says Berni. ‘In the harsh light of day with people like this around, God is calling us to rekindle the gift that He placed in us when He hand-crafted every strand of our DNA in our mother’s womb.

I know without a doubt that for some, the dream of using their God given gift has grown cold.’

Just imagine where we would be today if Jesus had turned back from the cross because it was all too hard. Adversity is the very place where we are called to grow and exercise our gift. We are to use that gift from God to make a difference in other people’s lives.

‘Adversity is not our excuse for giving up on our God given gift,’ says Berni. ‘It’s the trigger to use it even more to bless others. Because where there is opposition and adversity, more love and more grace is actually required.’

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