Revival Week 3
Revival is not only something that happens in a church service or among a group of believers. Revival begins personally, as we intentionally spend time in the presence of God. One of the most important ways we can strengthen our relationship with the Lord is through an effective quiet time. But an effective quiet time does not usually happen by accident. We must determine that spending time with God is important, choose a time that works for us, and make room for Him in our lives.
There are several myths about quiet time that can discourage us. First, there is no particular time of day that works for everyone. Some people meet with God best in the morning, while others may find the afternoon or evening more effective. The important thing is not when we meet with God, but that we consistently meet with Him. Second, quiet time does not have to last an hour to be meaningful. We should focus more on the quality and sincerity of our time with God than watching the clock. Third, our prayers and prayer journals do not have to sound like the King James Version of the Bible. God wants us to speak honestly and personally with Him. Our prayers should sound like us.
There are four practical steps that can help revive our quiet time with God.
1. Clear your mind.
We live in a world filled with distractions, responsibilities, problems, and constant noise. When we come before God, we need to intentionally turn our attention away from worldly matters and toward Him. Quiet time is an opportunity to set those distractions aside and enter into prayer and fellowship with the Lord.
2. Focus your mind.
Once we begin clearing away the distractions, we need to intentionally focus our attention on God. Praise and worship can be powerful tools for doing this. Singing praises to the Lord or listening to worship music can turn our thoughts toward Him and prepare our hearts to hear what He wants to say. The right music can help quiet the noise around us and focus our hearts on the presence of God.
3. Pray what is on your heart.
God does not want a performance; He wants a relationship. We should be honest with Him about what is really happening in our lives—our fears, struggles, disappointments, needs, questions, hopes, and desires. We can bring our burdens to Jesus rather than carrying them ourselves. Prayer should be intentional and purposeful, but it should also be genuine. God already knows what is in our hearts, so we can come before Him openly and honestly.
4. Renew your mind.
Our quiet time should include allowing the Word of God to wash and renew our minds. The world continually tries to shape the way we think, but God's Word gives us a different way to see our circumstances, ourselves, other people, and God. As we read and meditate on Scripture, we allow God to clean out wrong thinking and replace it with His truth. Revival requires more than hearing God's Word—it requires allowing His Word to change the way we think and live.
Ultimately, quiet time is not simply another item to check off our daily list. It is time spent developing our relationship with God and allowing Him to transform us. We need to pray intently, listen purposefully, receive God's Word, and allow the Holy Spirit to direct our lives.
If our spiritual lives have become dry, distracted, or routine, perhaps one of the first places revival needs to begin is in our quiet time. Revival happens when we stop allowing the world to call the shots and surrender that authority to the Spirit of God.
If our soul needs to be revived, we must let the Spirit of the Lord call the shots.