When You Forget Why You Started—Fan the Flame

“For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” —2 Timothy 1:6 (NIV)

He sat across the desk from me, head bowed, shoulders slumped as he stared at the floor. Slowly, he lifted his head, looked me in the eye, and said: 

“I used to jump out of bed with excitement to preach,” he said. “Now, I just feel numb. I find myself going through the motions, pretending all is well, when I’m not.”

Have you ever felt that way?

I often hear similar stories from pastors and leaders. And truthfully, I’ve experienced those moments as well.

You enter ministry with passion. You want to serve God, love people, and make a difference. However, over time, the challenges pile up—criticism, fatigue, unmet expectations, and financial pressures. Slowly, you begin to recognize the fire that once burned bright is growing dim.

This happens when we lose sight of our calling.

Drifting from Our First Love

The church in Ephesus faced this danger. In Revelation 2:4, Jesus offers a sobering rebuke: “You have forsaken the love you had at first.”

It wasn’t that the church stopped working. In fact, they were busy, enduring hardship and even resisting false teaching (Rev. 2:2–3). But somewhere in the process of doing good things, they lost their first love—the intimacy with Christ that once fueled their mission.

When we forget why we started, “mission” becomes “maintenance.” The joy of serving turns into duty. The gospel becomes something we work for rather than something that works in us.

Remembering Your Call

Paul writes to Timothy: “Fan into flame the gift of God.” (2 Tim. 1:6).

Timothy, a young leader, was facing fear and discouragement. Paul reminds him that calling isn’t sustained by circumstances—it’s sustained by continually stirring up the Spirit’s gift within.

Os Guinness writes:

“Calling is the truth that God calls us to Himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to His summons.” ¹

Your calling is not just to a role—it’s first and foremost to a relationship with Christ. When we lose that focus, we drift not just from a mission—we drift from a Person. And when we lose connection with Christ, ministry becomes a grind instead of a gift. 

When we drift from our relationship with Christ, the fire begins to fade. But when we remain rooted in Him, even the most difficult seasons cannot extinguish the flame. 

Signs You May Be Losing Your “Why”

Ask yourself:

• Does ministry feel like a burden more than a joy?
• Do I go through the motions but feel little passion?
• Have I forgotten what once excited me about my work?
• Am I measuring my worth by results or faithfulness? 

If ministry is joyless, your passion is waning, or ministry has become drudgery, there’s no need to despair. 

When we take time to “fan the flame,” excitement returns, and we discover our value in who we are (God’s beloved and called child), not in what we do. Rekindling the flame enables us to feel the warmth of God’s love and to remember that God accepts us as we are, not our accomplishments. 

Practices to Rekindle the Flame

1. Revisit Your Story

Go back to the beginning. When and how did God first call you? Journal about it. Share the story with a trusted friend. Let gratitude for that moment refresh your memory.

2. Return to Your First Love

Make time not for sermon prep or program planning—but to simply be with Christ. Pray. Worship. Rest. Fall in love with Jesus again.

3. Recommit to Faithfulness, Not Fame

Success isn’t about numbers or applause. It’s about showing up, loving well, and trusting God with the fruit. As Mother Teresa once said, “God has not called me to be successful. He has called me to be faithful.” ²

The Flame Is Still There

If your fire feels dim, don’t despair. Isaiah reminds us that even “a smoldering wick can be rekindled” (Isaiah 42:3). The Spirit who called you still dwells within you.

Remember: you are not called to do everything—but you are called to stay faithful to the One who called you. And He is faithful to finish the work He began in you (Phil. 1:6).

So, fan the flame. Reignite the joy. Remember why you started.

I encourage you to take just one of these steps today. Don’t wait until your calendar clears or your energy returns. Fanning the flame begins with a single spark. 

Reflection Questions

• When did I first sense God’s call in my life, and how has that shaped me?
• Where have I drifted from my first love in ministry?
• What practice this week can help me “fan into flame” the gift of God within me?

_________

Footnotes

1. Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 4.

2. Mother Teresa, quoted in Brian Kolodiejchuk, Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light (New York: Doubleday, 2007), 291.