From Funk to Revival --- And Everything in Between

You probably have never had this problem, but in most of December, I had a serious case of a funk that had crawled all over me. No matter what I did, it clung to me, sometimes in the heaviest of natures. It was so evident one Sunday that Mrs. Lavahn pulled me into my office and called me on it. Can I just say that I love that woman! She sits in my office every Sunday during the Sunday school hour waiting for women to come who need to be loved on, prayed for, and encouraged, and apparently, I needed what she was dosing out. Ladies, Christmas is usually my most favorite time of the year. I love to decorate, but my house is being remodeled, so decorating was limited. I love to entertain, but we didn't because of the condition of the house. I love having family over, but most of them didn't travel into town this year. And of all years for me to just survive December, this was the year my husband vowed to be more like Santa Claus than the Grinch!

Sunday, I had stayed in my class a little to listen to a sweet lady and arrived in the worship service during the middle of praise time. I could feel that funk all over me again. It was a heaviness in my spirit--in my core being. I hate that feeling! But I could sense God's presence, and tears began to flow as we all worshipped corporately and individually. Then Pastor Terry preached on revival, and I realized that was what my soul was craving--revival.

How long has it been since you've personally had a revival? Some ladies I spoke with said they were eager for it. The thing about a true revival is that it cannot and should not be contained within the walls of the church. We need an awakening. We need the Spirit to come and stir and move in and around us. We need anointing.

I am eager to hear about the fast in which Pastor Rick and the other pastors will lead us in the upcoming days. There are so many ways to fast, ladies. What do you spend the majority of your free time doing (as if we have a lot of it)? What do you spend most of your mad money on? What are you plugged in to more than God? For me, I'm not a fan of TV. I can live without the additional racket and chaos it brings, so that wouldn't really be giving up something of value. For each person, it's different. What are you willing to give up in order to focus on God, in order to be drawn closer to Him, in order to have a personal revival--music, computer, chocolate, shopping, TV, fast food? We also need to include our children in this process. This is an opportunity to teach the next generation what a revival looks like and how it comes about. Revival and fasting mean an opportunity to lay all distractions aside and focus on God and God alone. Revival means using our resources (whether it's finances or time or energy) to find out how God wants us to spend that time that was once consumed with TV, shopping, music, etc. Clearing away the distractions, spending more time with God, repenting of those things of which He convicts us, repairing relationships – these things will and must happen.

Job 9:12-13 in The Message: " We'll never comprehend all the great things He does; His miracle-surprises can't be counted. Somehow, though He moves right in front of me, I don't see Him; quietly but surely He's active, and I miss it." Ladies, I'd hate for a revival to happen and you miss Him. Get ready. Revival's coming!