God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)
Revival describes a renewal of spiritual life, while reformation describes a renewal of the forms and structures of society and culture. It is not possible to have true reformation without first having true revival. The renewal of spiritual life under the power of the Holy Spirit is a necessary condition for reformation but not a sufficient condition for it. Therefore, though it is not possible to have reformation without revival, it is possible to have revival without reformation.
Often those who are really bound in the sin of cynicism demonstrate all of these unpleasant traits. These traits are super easy to observe in others either through one’s critical comments or glum facial expressions. They see the glass always half full. They are the princes of pessimism. They crush any excitement in a room. They destroy morale in any team. They major on the negative. They are quick to see the worst. Whenever they want to meet, it’s always problem related. They squash good ideas and the potential from others. They are grumpy. They complain about everything. They are the party of “no.” They have a problem with everyone and everything. They are experts at discovering everybody’s flaws except their own. They stand as the self-appointed judges of the world and measure others by their own standards of righteousness. And they often look as friendly as a rattlesnake.
