Wait…don’t get too excited thinking this blog is about how my teammates and I brought a revival to Romania and now everyone here is a Christian. This blog is about a different kind of revival.
If you’ve read some of my other blogs, you know that before the race I prayed for a word or set of words for each country before I left home. Each month the word has been pretty accurate and this month was no different. My word for the month?…yep, revival.
When I looked and saw this month’s word was revival I had many different images of what revival might look like or where I might see it in others, in the community, in the church…but this month the revival was in me.
Trusty dictionary.com defines revival as this: restoration to life, consciousness, vigor, strength, etc.
At the beginning of the month I felt the Lord speak to me about newness, refreshment and a revival He was going to bring to me. Of course, I was excited and also expectant. I had a vision in my own head of what it would look like for newness to come, to be refreshed and revived.
You can imagine my dismay and confusion when this month turned out to be one with many personal trials. I felt exhausted in so many ways and just worn down physically, emotionally, spiritually and relationally…Where, Lord, is the revival you spoke of? I don’t feel refreshed, I feel exhausted.
As I prayed about it, the Lord began to remind me that this refreshing and newness would not come from the people around me, it would not come from my circumstances or anything that I could do—it would only come from Him.
I began to press into my time with Him more and seek refreshment from Him alone. I was able to relate what I was learning about newness and refreshment through an analogy with a garden.
I think we are each given a plot of “land” from the Lord. He provides the soil and He is ultimately in charge of the seeds sprouting and new growth, but we have a big hand in tilling, scattering seed and tending to the garden, the soil of our own hearts.
“He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgement.” Proverbs 12:11
The Lord gave me a little picture of my garden and how I was tending it. I have a small garden with some flourishing plants that I am proud of and tend to willingly. But these are the issues the Lord pointed out to me:
-Your focus is on the growth I have already given you. Your gaze is narrow and you see only the flowering plants there in the corner…turn around and expand your view and look at the vast plot of land I have given you to flourish in. You are not living in fullness and allowing newness if you are not expanding your growth to all the land I have given you.
-You desire new growth, but are you willing to spend the time and effort, and even get a little messy tilling up the new land in order to scatter the seed of newness? It takes effort to dig out the rocks and even more effort to pull up the deep rooted weeds that have grown in this area of the land you have ignored and not tended to. Before newness can come you must put in the effort and not be afraid of the mess you will make as you get the soil ready for planting.
-There are some weeds amongst the flowering plants that you have tended to as though they were growth from me. The enemy is a deceiver and will try to masquerade sin as something good. You must shed excuses and open your eyes to the weeds that live amongst the flowers. If left untended, they will overtake the good things I have helped to grow.
-I am the ultimate Gardener and I make things grow, but working your own land is your responsibility. It will be a life-long process, not a one-time effort. As you grow in me, your garden will expand and flourish, but this requires the effort of continuing to till new ground. There will also still be weeds that will continue to sprout up and try to squash your growth, you have to be attentive and able to identify and remove them quickly.
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:6
–Stay attentive to your own garden. It’s easy to compare and sometimes easier to focus on trying make others grow. Remember that it is only I who make things grow, both in you and in others. They are also responsible for tilling their own land. You can help to identify weeds and rocks, and even help scatter seed and water—but the removal of rocks and weeds is their job and growth is my job…not yours.
The questions I asked myself and encourage you to ask yourself are:
-What areas do I need to repent of and weed out in order to be refreshed and for newness to come?
-Is the soil of my heart ready for a new planting from the Lord?
His desire is to revive, refresh and bring newness, but we have to do our part…and then get ready for some amazing growth 🙂
“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11
