Breathe

I had just spent a long day at work. My mind was filled with the pressures of life. I honestly was just exhausted. You know what I mean? Sometimes it feels like there is so much to get done, and never enough time to do it. The thought of everything that I still needed to do that day overwhelmed me. And normally, I would get right to it. But that day, I decided to take a break...I decided to breathe. I sat outside with my husband. We shared our day with each other while we waited for the kids to get off the school bus, and once the kids got home, they joined in the conversation. They shared their excitement about the end of the school year. We played for a while. I sat down and watched them play some more. Their smiles were like sunshine…I took it all in…

I thought back to the days that I prayed for this…. the nights that I spent in tears, pleading with the Lord. I remember the brokenness…and I remember thinking that I didn’t want that for my children. I wanted them to know what wholeness looks like. I wanted them to know what faith looks like. I wanted them to know what the faithfulness of God looks like. And then I remembered that all of this is our reality. God really did it. He did what He said he would do...He did so much more. And as I thought of this, suddenly…my strength was renewed. It’s almost like I gained a supernatural energy that I didn’t have before that moment.

Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31 NLT)

When we shift our perspective to trusting in God, our strength is renewed.

Instead of focusing on the worries of the day, I took in everything that God had done in my life. And that moment of gratitude changed everything. When I remembered the faithfulness of God, I was convinced that He will continue to be faithful in the future. A weight was lifted off of me. I was reminded that I can not live this life without Him. I never would have made it here without Him, and I will never make it there without Him. But where is there? There is the place we are all trying to go. It is the place of blessing that we are looking forward to. But, I have realized that our constant seeking of there always causes us to be weary here. It keeps us from receiving the rest that God wants to give us today.

Scripture is clear on the fact that God provides for us daily. He provides us with the food that we need daily. He provides us with the strength that we need daily. He provides us with the peace and joy that we need daily. When Jesus was teaching the disciples how to pray, he told them to seek God’s provision for the day, not the week. Why? Because God doesn’t want us to live our lives independent of Him. He wants us to depend on Him for everything.

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need,… (Matthew 6:9-11 NLT)

Our worry, our stress, our concern, comes when we think too far ahead. It comes when we’re worried about what tomorrow may bring, instead of focusing on what God has given us today. But when we focus on the here and now…on what God has already provided for us…on what He has called us to do…we can rest, knowing that He has everything taken care of.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:31-34 NLT)

These are the words of Jesus. He tells us that as believers, we should not worry about the cares of life. We have a Father that provides us with everything that we need. We don’t have to spend our days trying to figure everything out. We can rest in the fact that He has gone before us. We can breathe, because He is by our side.

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? (Matthew 6:25-30 NLT)

This passage has gotten me through so many years of worry. I’ve read it so many times, but this week, I gained a different perspective. I felt like God was saying, “Take your eyes off your situation, and take a look around.” He wants us to put down the busyness of life. He wants us to stop and take a look at His creation: the beautiful landscapes, the birds in the sky, the beautiful sunrise and sunset. He wants us to see the evidence of His greatness and faithfulness. But I believe that He wants us to go a step further. I believe that He wants us to take a look around at all He has done in our lives. He wants us to look at the home we live in, and not forget the times we didn’t have one. He wants us to look at our spouse, and remember the times we prayed for one. He wants us to look at our children’s faces, and know that they are a blessing from Him.

Every good and perfect gift comes from God.

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. (James 1:17 NLT)

Has God been good to you? Take a moment and think about it…think about the good and perfect things in your life. Think about where you are right now, and where you could have been. The fact that God has brought you here, is proof that He will take you there. He never changes. Sometimes we just have to take time to remember.

We must allow ourselves moments to breathe.

We must take time throughout the day to remember the goodness of God. We must shift our perspective…getting our thoughts off the situation, and onto the one that holds the situation in His hands. When we’re stuck in the motions of life, we tend to forget where our help comes from, but remembering this is vital for our journey of faith. We can not live this life without Him. He is where we draw our strength from. He is the one that sustains us and gives us the ability to walk in purpose.

I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. (Psalms 121:1-8 NLT)

We find peace when we remember the position that God holds in our lives.

Do you sometimes find yourself in a state of exhaustion? Maybe you’re carrying the burden of responsibilities. Maybe you’re carrying the burden of what the future holds. If so, I believe your heavenly Father wants you to breathe again. I believe He wants you to lift that heavy burden off your shoulders, and give it to Him. Take a break from your day. Go outside. Look at the beautiful landscapes. Look at the horizon. Listen to the birds and wildlife. Feel the breeze. Enjoy whatever He has placed right in front of you. In His creation, you will find peace for you soul. You will be reminded that the same God that takes care of all of that is the same God that will take care of you. He is not a God that slumbers. His word says that He watches over you constantly…ensuring that you have everything that you need…ensuring that His will is done in your life. So make the decision to breathe today. Trust in Him. Rest in Him.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for taking care of my every need. Thank you for going before me. Thank you for reminding me that I have nothing to worry about, because you are by my side. Today, I am making the decision to put down the cares of life; I am making the decision to receive the rest that you have for me. Thank you for reminding me how important it is to take a break from life…for reminding me that sometimes, I just need to breathe. Sometimes, I need to take a look around at all the amazing things that you have blessed me with. Sometimes I need to stop and take in the amazing creation that you have given us. I need to change my perspective, so that I can find strength in you. You are my source of hope. You are my provider, my comforter, my defender, my everything. I love you. In Jesus name, amen.