Lingering at Easter: Awaiting Transformation

Photo by Susan Downs Burleson

As we draw near to Easter, to Resurrection Sunday, I find myself lingering in the goodness and grace given to me—and to you—as Jesus hung on the cross to procure and secure my redemption, reconciliation and restoration. And to pursue for me, with me, a transformed life.

Sometimes I have cooperated with His transforming work, but sometimes not so much. What I need is true revival. Surely today, everywhere, we desperately need our God to send His Spirit to ignite fires of revival and transformation.

And as I linger in these thoughts, God reminds me of the ongoing cycle of His work in and through me. I am meditating on these truths, seeking to understand and apply, as I am absorbing them for myself. 

Perhaps you would want linger with me in God’s presence and desire to bring true change. If you have additional thoughts or insights, please share them in the comments.

So here is what I have grasped so far, as I desire personal revival and transformation:

Deep humility (a true recognition of who God is and who I am) –> (leads to)

Genuine repentance (horror at my sin, hating my sin) –>

True worship (awe, gratitude, adoration, honor) –>

Dependent prayer (I am inadequate, unworthy, needy)–>

Spirit anointing (now available for every need, asked for, received by faith)

Consistently living out the above will lead to the following being increasingly evident in my life:

Sincere gratitude (not a perfunctory thank you, but true giving of thanks)

Courageous faith (trust in action, no matter what the challenge)

Authentic living (so that my life looks more and more like Jesus)

Real oneness (preferring one another, united in the Spirit) 

As these realities are growing in me, they will inevitably lead to actions:

Bold proclamation (I will talking about my Savior boldly and sensitively)

Sacrificial love (serving others, laying down my life for others)

Compassionate justice (responding in word and deed to pain and injustice) Yet I must recognize that I cannot do all this.  It becomes possible and true in my life because of the 

BOUNDLESS GRACE of God. It is not my performance, my good deeds, my hard work.  It is all God’s gracious gift of grace, in His presence, to enable me to become like Jesus, to do the impossible, to move on when I fail, to trust when I am inadequate, to believe God can work in and through someone as unworthy as I am. 

What about you?  What has God shown you is needed for personal revival?

C2021 Judy Douglass