“The gift of God is the grace of the Holy Spirit...This grace fills up what is lacking...But it is not automatic. We must stir up and rekindle it.” (Orthodox Study Bible, 2 Timothy 1:6)
“Neither the learned nor the illiterate of whatever race or rank come to God led by human reason; but everyone who is converted to God is first stirred by God’s grace.” (Prosper of Acquitaine)
“It is needful for thee to be willing and eager to rekindle God’s gift of grace. Even as fire requires wood, so grace requires our willingness, that it may be ever fervent…For this grace is in our power to extinguish or to kindle…For by carelessness, indifference, and sloth it is quenched, but by watchfulness, and diligence it is stirred up.” (St. John Chrysostom)
“But if a man is stirred by the wisdom of God, which seeks our salvation and embraces everything, and if he is resolved for its sake to devote the early hours of the day to God and to watch in order to find His eternal salvation, then, in obedience to its voice, he must hasten to offer true repentance for all his sins and must practice the virtues which are opposite to the sins committed. Then through the virtues practiced for Christ’s sake, he will acquire the Holy Spirit Who acts within us and establishes in us the Kingdom of God.” (St. Seraphim of Sarov)
"However, just as Jesus was baptized at the very beginning of His public mission, so is our baptism just the beginning. I did, indeed, receive the gift of life in the Holy Spirit, as well as the gift of His “fire,” like a spark, in my heart, at baptism. But this “fire,” which is often but a spark, needs to be constantly tended to and rekindled when necessary. A daily “re-focusing,” -that is, daily “repentance,” does this, when I take a bit of time for it, in prayer, contemplation, and self-examination. Let me remember this gift of Spirit, and fire, which I carry around in my heart, so that I tend to it on a daily basis." (Sr. Dr. Vassa Larin)