Does this story seem familiar?
“Slumped down in her chair, the children’s pastor gave a deep sigh of frustration. Nothing had worked out as she planned. The kids seemed disinterested; parents were distant. It had been over a month since anyone new had visited the kids’ church. Feeling empty and discouraged, she wondered if perhaps, she should step down.”
This is not a snippet from a novel, simply a snapshot into the life of an experienced children’s minister–me! If you reached this point, you do not need a pep talk, a cup of coffee or a new curriculum to play with. What you need is a personal revival! You can’t wait afford to wait until the evangelist rolls into town to fire the church up. When you reach this low spot you must experience a fresh flame and quickly.
I know what you’re thinking. Okay, smart girl, so how do I do that?
Start with the Word. Make the Bible the foundation for your revival. Personally, I turn to King David’s songs when I need fuel for a fresh fire. Psalms like 51 or 56 make good road maps to returning to a godly perspective. Read until something speaks to you, then read a little more.
Talk to God–about you. Leave everyone else out of the prayer closet. Ask God to shine a light on your inner man; give Him access to your heart. I tell my kids when coaching them through repentance, “Open the doors and windows of your heart.” Do it, purposefully.
Listen to the Holy Spirit. He will bring to your remembrance things that need special attention. Sometimes we aren’t even aware that we have made a mistake. Talk to God about what you feel, without making excuses. Repent and ask God to shore up those weak spots.
Praise God for what He’s working out in you! By faith, praise Him and you’ll see revival begin and remain.
Commit to regular prayer and Bible reading. It doesn’t have to be hours, just snippets of time dedicated to the Lord. This will likely be the first of many positive changes that God leads you too.
Personal spiritual revival is what our ministries need today; teachers and pastors healed and healing others with God’s help. Stop the cycle of condemnation and failure. Take the first step, get into the Word and find your personal fire. He’s there! Waiting for you!