21 Days: Revive Us AgainSample

DAY 13: BROKEN HEARTS

Reflection:

When we experience revival brought about by the Holy Spirit, it should be evident in every area of our lives – including our relationships!

The bones in the valley described in Ezekiel were once joined together. When the Spirit of God moved and brought revival to the bones, they joined together again. That gives us a picture of the revival and reconciliation that the Holy Spirit can bring to any broken or dead relationships we may have.

Maybe we were wronged by someone or hurt by a friend’s words or actions. Maybe our relationship with family members was strained due to disagreements or having had to deal with the weight of their expectations. However broken or dead these relationships may seem to be, God can and wants to bring about forgiveness and reconciliation.

In Colossians 3, the Bible says that we should love and forgive others in the same way Jesus did for us. This is certainly easier said than done. Thankfully, Jesus left us some instructions in Matthew 22:37-39 – Love God, love others. First, love God. As we grow in our relationship with Him, we should become more and more like Him. Then, naturally as our hearts are revived, God’s love overflows from within us helping us to love others, even when it is challenging to do so.

As we talked about on Day 11, obedience is the key to a breakthrough! To experience this revival, we may need to be willing to have some potentially uncomfortable conversations and also take the first step to release and/or ask for forgiveness. When we choose to do so, we open the door to experience that revival in any broken or dead relationships in our lives.

Response:

Are there relationships in your life that need revival, reconciliation and restoration?

Pray that God will fill you with the strength and courage you need to forgive and to have the difficult but necessary conversations that will restore the broken relationships in your life. Declare that, as you step out in obedience, revival will come to these dead relationships.