- Revitalized -

I wanted to look deeper behind the meaning of this word, revitalized, starting with the rootword ‘vital’.

The etymology of this word from the Online Etymology Dictionary states: “c.1386, ‘of or manifesting life,’ from L. vitalis "of or belonging to life” (vital, n.d.).

Moving along to the word ‘vitality’, the American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary (n.d.) explains:

vitality vi·tal·i·ty (vī-tāl'ĭ-tē)n.

1. The capacity to live, grow, or develop.
2. Physical or intellectual vigor; energy.

Now, when I think of vitality I look at it at different ways in addition to the above reasoning. One way was through any role-playing video game, vitality is one of many attributes for the key character. As I would progress through a game the character gained vitality and while gaining vitality my character would also gain health allowing them to stay alive longer.

Going along that thought of staying alive longer, I’ve always thought of the word vitality just simply meaning energy or something sustaining a being and whatever it does…like a human being which requires ATP in order to function and sustain any metabolic processes (ie walking, running, etc). How about sugar? The human body commonly absorbs sugar in the form of glucose. The brain requires glucose to maintain the function of the body’s senses via action potentials that are sent throughout the body. Not to mention glucose is required for the brain and ultimately for the process of any thoughts and critical thinking.

This then brings me to the word with both prefix and suffix: revitalized.

Amazingly, recently through God’s grace and power my faith has been revitalized. I’ve come from a difficult summer as I entered my fifth year at Western. I was going through feeling antisocial with anyone and everyone that I met (including old friends). It was rather strange considering I’ve lived in this dorm region, Birnam Wood, already a couple years ago. So change of environment should not have been that big of an issue. The summer that I left was one of stagnation in many forms. In the end, a heavy spirit of isolation was created which burdened my heart. There were times when I didn’t know if I could go through with classes and times of anxiety. My roommate and I both agreed we had a mission for our region we were living in and I felt incapable. I knew I was being attacked spiritually.

Little by little, I prayed, asked for prayer, and continued to communicate with God. Through church, the Lord spurred me on to be the light for others to see and for them to know that He loves them and longs to be in relationship with them. Slowly I felt the fire lighting in my heart and began to communicate with friends and new people who I wanted to meet and befriend.

This kept growing further; there were times of worship, a new bible study with fellow brothers, meaningful conversations. It wasn’t until yesterday that I felt completely revitalized. I was very blessed to attend the Passion World Tour Conference with Chris Tomlin and David Crowder Band in Vancouver, BC which was lead by Louie Giglio. The Passion conference was what I needed to hear, it was what made my heart shift from a small growing flame to a roaring fire, to now a fervent desire to proclaim the grace of God and share the good news, and it was honestly what all Christian students need to hear to seek change for their campus (check out their website and mission statement for more information by clicking on the word "Passion Word Tour" which I've turned into a clickable link).

I was reflecting about a verse in relation to the topic “Illuminate”, which the senior pastor at my home church was preaching this last weekend…

Matthew 5:14-16 states: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

I want to shine, I want to shout and sing the Lord’s name in the presence of all people, I know my mission here where I’m staying on campus and I’m excited to know that through God I have overcome the spirit which weighed me down. Holy Spirit lead me on. I am 100% revitalized, with my Lord granting me strength. My light was once dim but now it illuminates.

I guess the last thing is that I feel alive from this renewed vitality which comes from Jesus alone. A song which grasps how I currently feel is the song Alive in this Moment by Starfield. Check it out here…




References:

vital. (n.d.). Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved October 07, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/vital

vitality. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary. Retrieved October 08, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/vitality