Yesterday I found myself feeling overwhelmed with certain situations that are beyond my control. Many things are changing in my life and the lives of those I love. Things over which I have no control.
One change, even two, would be do-able, but these are many different changes. Together they feel like a thousand pressure points on my heart and mind—like static constantly buzzing in my head.
I sit down trying to steady my breathing. When I get stressed I start to over-breathe which creates a lovely crescendo of unpleasant effects. As I sat in my favorite chair with my eyes closed, I started to focus on my breathing. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in calm. Breathe out stress.
Breathe in God’s will.
Breathe out my own.
Breathe in grace.
Breathe out praise.
Breathe in His presence.
Breathe out my fear.
While my spiritually focused breathing exercise did not cure every problem in my life, it certainly helped to ground me in God’s strength and in His will.
So many people I know are in a season of trial and suffering. In fact, I think just by being a Christian living on planet earth you are in a season of trial and suffering right now. It is so easy to get overwhelmed. It is so easy to give into despair and worry. Anxiety builds, tensions rise and hope dwindles. Yet, that is exactly where satan wants us right?
The devil wants us to be rocking ourselves in the corner. He wants us to blast others on social media and destroy our witness for God’s kingdom. He wants us to be ruled by our anger, our fear and our despair. He wants us incapacitated so that we can’t fight him. So that we won’t put on God’s armor and stand up to him. So that we won’t shine the true light of Jesus in this ever darkening world.
Today, I will stand on the promises of God and I will breathe in His strength. Then I will lift up my shield of faith and I will prepare for battle. And then when the battle grows long and my breathing grows fast I will stop once again and I will simply breathe.
Breathe in God’s will.
Breathe out my own.
Breathe in His grace.
Breathe out His praise.
Breathe in His presence.
Breathe out my fears.
Maybe today you just need to breathe.
Just breathe……
Breathing with you,
Jen
