Revival: To bring back to life. Restoration of usefulness. A term I have been thinking about a lot over the last few months in several different contexts. Mostly a need for revival in my own life. It has been about a year and a half since my last post. This last year has been a whirlwind. At one point it was an actual whirlwind as a tornado came through a year ago today. We were fortunate with only minor damage, but even at that, the repairs were just recently completed. But that was only part of it. As the kids grow and life changes, it is easy to be sucked into the “I’m too busy” mindset and begin to make excuses for not accomplishing our dreams and goals.
Revival… That word brings about many memories, most of them of week long church meetings with out of town speakers, lots of food, and often a little volleyball. As a kid, there wasn’t really much “revival” going on in me. I think all of us could use a little “new life” in our days. A little restoration of usefulness. As I pass the mid-century mark, It is easy to think about all the things I have not accomplished and that I am not in life where I wanted to be. It is easy to think about these things because those are the dreams and goals that live in us that keep us alive and going. I have been guilty of telling others “don’t think about that, but look at what you have accomplished, think about what you have done”. There is value in that, but in a way, what I am saying to them is “it’s o.k. to give up on your dreams. Just look at what you have done and be satisfied with that.”
There is no going back. I can’t go back in life and do those things I wish I had. I can only start now and look to the future. I have a quote from Walt Disney in my office that reminds me of this every day. “The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.” Whenever I look at that, it reminds me to get busy. Talking about doing something is easy. Actually doing something takes a little effort. If all I do is talk… I wish I could… one day I’m gonna… one of these days I’m… next week I’m going to start… If that is the extent of my effort, nothing is ever going to happen.
Action speaks louder than words. I’ve heard and used that phrase many times. A little action begins to build a revival within. It begins to create an energy and a joy that brings new life, a restoration of usefulness. It is easy to get so busy in life that I don’t really accomplish anything. I am just busy being busy. I am not actually accomplishing anything. Sometimes we talk about something and spend a lot of time “getting ready to” do something, that we fool ourselves into thinking we have actually been busy doing that something. Or, I have so many things I am doing and I spend a little time on each of them and never actually get anything completed. Being busy, but not effective. God places those dreams and goals in our hearts… the ones that eat at us and keep coming back to us from time to time… God places those dreams and goals in our hearts for a reason. It is never too late to quit talking and start doing.
In the book of James, he writes a lot about listening and doing.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do”
James 2:18
Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves, do what it says.
James 1:22
It is easy to talk and to listen and think that we are busy. We deceive ourselves every day. The evening comes along and I think, “wow, I’m tired. I’ve had a busy day” and decide to relax for the night. But what have I actually done today? Am I tired because I worked hard, or am I tired because I have not accomplished anything. Have I just been busy being busy, deceiving myself, thinking I have accomplished something today.
“I applied my heart to what I observed
and learned a lesson from what I saw:
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest —
and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man
Proverbs 24: 32-34
So I look forward to a revival. A new life. A restoration of usefulness. Both in my life, my family, and in this blog. I look forward to seeing where this will go and how God is going to use this. I look forward to hearing what God is doing in you as you live life every day.
-Curtis
