REVIVE: To regain consciousness of life: to become attractive or flourishing again.

1. To restore to consciousness [the quality or state of being aware – especially of something within oneself] or life
2. To restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state: bring back
3. To renew the mind or memory

I read this definition and immediately thought about the revitalization of the human heart. I don’t know about you, but sometimes my heart just feels… dead. I want to be moved toward compassion, humility, and love, and yet too often I find myself too exhausted or unmoved. So how do we revive a tired heart or passionless living?

Assess your heart situation.

1. Ask for eyes to see the condition of your heart.

“God, examine me and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any bad thing in me.  Lead me on the road to everlasting life.”  Psalm 139:23-24, NCV

The example is set before us over and over again in the Psalms. When in doubt, we ask the One who knows.

“Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you?”  Psalm 85:6, NLT

2. Examine your treasure.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21, NIV                                                                                 

Jesus loves faith-filled risk for the glory of God. There aren’t rules on how to spend your money… but there is always a choice: good or best. Our joy should come from God – not from stuff!  The challenge is to live for experiences, not possessions!

3. Examine your foundation.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27, NIV

I ask this question to almost every group that I address. “Is God your foundation, or is He your roof?” For most of my life I lived as if God were the roof over my life. He covered everything. He was at my private school, my church, in our family devotions, even in the music I listened to on the radio. He was a wonderful roof. But God longs to be our foundation. My life took a totally different trajectory when I consciously claimed Him as my foundation. He went from an after-thought to my first thought. That shift was brought real passion to my life and heart. So… “Is God your foundation, or is He your roof?” Big difference. The answer matters.

“Why are you so polite with me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on. If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss.” Luke 6:46-49, The Message

I know this list isn’t an all-encompassing answer… but it’s a start.

Examining,
Ginger