Revival is Remembering

Many churches hold “Revival Weeks” or “Revival Services,” and countless Christians pray for “revival,” often framing it as a deeply personal, inward event they’re asking God to ignite within them. But I’ve always found the phrasing a bit perplexing.

To revive something means to take something that was once alive—something that has died—and bring it back to life.
That’s not how salvation works.

Revival in the Church

For churches, a Revival Week or Service could be an intentional effort to acknowledge spiritual dormancy. Perhaps the church was once a vibrant place filled with believers on fire for God, striving to become more like Jesus. Over time, it may have become an empty space, its worship hollow and its fellowship cold.
Revival, in this context, is an opportunity:
To rekindle what has been lost.
To awaken to the joy of worshiping with fellow believers.
To come together as a dormant body and beg our Father to breathe life into empty lungs.
That makes sense to me. No confusion there.

Personal Revival?

What confuses me is the idea of praying for revival on a personal level, as though asking God to bring someone back to life in Christ again. To me, this suggests a misunderstanding of salvation—a belief that Jesus’ sacrifice wasn’t sufficient the first time.

Salvation isn’t something that needs repeating. Jesus’ blood didn’t partially cleanse us, leaving room for doubt. His sacrifice wasn’t limited to covering sins of the past while leaving future transgressions unpaid. It was complete, eternal, and without expiration.

Perhaps what we’re truly seeking isn’t revival, but remembrance.

The Power of Remembering

All who have accepted the life-giving gift of salvation can rest assured in its permanence. What we should fear, however, is our finite memory.

I know I have been saved by Jesus Christ at Calvary. I know the King of all creation was beaten, humiliated, and crucified so that I might be made right with my Heavenly Father. I know He rose again, declaring His power over death.

The problem isn’t that I don’t know. It’s that I forget. I forget the magnitude of what He has done. Salvation isn’t something that needs renewing, like a library book. But the weight and wonder of it often slip from my mind amidst the noise of life.

Revival, then, is remembering.

A God Worth Remembering

There is a God who walks with us through our highs and lows. He sees us in our sorrow. He sings over us with freedom, breaking every shackle the world tries to place on us. He carries us when we have no strength left and chases us down when we’ve wandered too far.

He gives us our next breath, our next heartbeat. He orchestrates the changing seasons and holds the oceans within their limits.

We could spend this life and the next trying to comprehend all He has done, is doing, and will do—and still, we wouldn’t even scratch the surface.

Lord, help me remember. Help me live like I remember every battle You’ve won. Help me hold on to the truth of who You are: my Father.

A Prayer for Revival

Oh Lord, remind me.

Remind me of Your greatness.
Remind me of Your mercy.
Remind me of the depth of Your love.
Help me to remember You in every step, every breath, and every moment.

Amen.

-The Contemplator