Revival doesn’t begin in a nation — it begins in a heart awakened by God.
(Plus interview with A Great Awakening Producer – Joshua Enk)
“Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?” — Psalm 85:6
In the 1730s and 1740s, something extraordinary began to unfold across the American colonies.
It wasn’t political.
It wasn’t organized.
And it certainly wasn’t predictable.
It was spiritual.
What historians now call the (first) Great Awakening was not a movement born in strategy rooms or shaped by human ambition. It was a stirring—a deep, undeniable work of God in the hearts of ordinary people.
At the center of it was a young evangelist, George Whitefield.
Whitefield preached in open fields to crowds of thousands—miners, farmers, merchants, men and women who had grown weary of routine religion but found themselves awakened by a message that reached far beyond the mind and into the soul. His words carried urgency, but also invitation. Not just to believe in God… but to truly know Him.
And as hearts began to awaken, something remarkable happened:
Communities changed.
Lives were transformed.
And a spiritual hunger spread across the colonies.
Even figures like Benjamin Franklin—known more for reason than revival—were drawn into the impact of what God was doing.
But here is what strikes me most about that moment in history:
God did not begin with a nation. He began with hearts.
That same pattern is what arrests me today.
Because it is easy to admire revival from a distance. It is easy to study it, discuss it, even long for it in the abstract. But awakening is never meant to remain a historical subject. It is an invitation.
So before we ask what God might do in a nation, perhaps we must first ask what He wants to do in us.
The Pattern We See in Scripture
This is not just history—it is biblical.
God did not begin with crowds when He called Moses.
He met him at a burning bush.
He did not begin with a nation when He called Isaiah. He gave him a vision of His glory. A vision so powerful that that brought him to his knees and stirred his heart:
“Woe is me, for I am ruined!” (Isaiah 6:5)
He did not begin with a movement when Jesus came.
He called disciples—one by one.
Revival has always followed this pattern:
God awakens one heart… and then another… and then another.
The Danger of Looking “Out There”
It’s easy to pray for revival in our nation.
It’s harder to pray: “Lord, awaken me.”
Because awakening is not comfortable.
It exposes areas where we have grown complacent and reveals where our faith has become intellectual instead of transformational.
It calls us to surrender—not just belief.
Awakening Requires Response
One of the most powerful things about spiritual awakening is this:
God initiates it—but we must respond.
James reminds us:
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” — James 4:8
Notice the invitation.
Not perform.
Not strive.
Simply DRAW NEAR.
Revival is not about becoming someone else—it’s about returning to the God we already know… but may have drifted from in practice.
What If It Started With You?
I recently interviewed Joshua Enk, producer of the new movie “A Great Awakening,” which is releasing in theaters on April 3rd in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. During our conversation, Enk shared exciting, little-known information about this incredible chapter of our history, one that undoubtedly shaped the nation’s beginning. As I reflected on my conversation about A Great Awakening, George Whitfield’s passion for spiritual awakening challenged my heart. I couldn’t help but ask:
What if we stopped waiting for revival to happen “out there”… and began asking God to do it “in here”?
In our homes.
In our quiet time.
In our daily choices.
Because the truth is:
A nation is never awakened all at once. It is awakened one surrendered heart at a time.
A challenging Invitation
Today, instead of asking, “God, change the world,” I am challenged to ask: “God, search me.”
“Search me, O God, and know my heart… and lead me in the everlasting way.” — Psalm 139:23–24
That is where awakening begins.
Not in noise.
Not in crowds.
But in quiet surrender.
And from there… God does what only He can do.
🎁 Don’t Miss This
In my conversation with Joshua, we discussed the heart behind A Great Awakening and why this message is so timely for our culture today.
👉 Be sure to listen to the full episode and
👉 Purchase your ticket here: A GREAT AWAKENING
