Just Breathe

Scripture:

6: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150 (NKJV)

21: So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

22: And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

John 20 (NKJV)

The action of breathing is not something that is often thought about. After all, it is a natural, automatic function that just happens. According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, the word “breathe” means to “take air into the lungs and then expel it, especially as a regular physiological process”. It just happens. That is, unless a person has asthma or emphysema or some other breathing disorder. That is a different issue. Everyone needs to be able to breathe in order to live. It’s how the body gets its much-needed oxygen and expels the carbon dioxide waste it creates.

From the spiritual perspective, breathing is just as vital to people’s lives. When God created man, He “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7 KJV). Man was created by God in the image of God and became what God had created him to be only when he received the breath of God. Before God breathed into him, man was just dust which had been formed by God to become. But when God breathed into his nostrils, man became all that God had created him to be. God is the source of life, and it was His breathing into man that gave man the physical and spiritual impetus he needed to become a living human being.

The breath of God gave mankind life and it is the breath of God which will sustain life. The Hebrew word for spirit is ruach, which means “wind, breath, air, spirit”. The life of God lives on and on because the immaterial part of man was designed to live eternally[1] in the image of the immortal, immutable God.

People should praise God that they are able to breathe without giving it much thought. But there are times, every now and again, when there needs to be a conscious, intentional effort to breathe. It has been proven that deep breathing can give many benefits when things happen in life. Deep breathing is a powerful tool for stress management. It can relieve anxiety and help make wiser decisions when angry. It can improve mental health and help get a better night’s sleep. Deep breathing can improve focus and aids in recovery after exercising. It can even help to lower blood pressure![2]

When life comes at you fast, and it will, just breathe. Be mindful of the breath. Sit still in the presence of God and just breathe. Inhale. Thank God. Exhale. Confess your sin. Inhale peace. Exhale anxiety. As you breathe in, think about the goodness of God; breathe out evil thoughts. Breathe in, express gratitude for all the blessings; breathe out thoughts of entitlement or discontent. Breathe in, praise God for life and the honor of belonging to Him; breathe out selfish desires and unholy thoughts.

During times of prayer, be mindful of breathing. Use those times to praise and honor God for all His blessings. During times of stress, be mindful of breathing. Focus on calming the mind and spirit so that the voice of God can be heard. You are alive, that is a blessing. Be grateful and just breathe.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for breathing the breath of life into humans so that they would be like You. You gave life through the breath, help them to live that blessed gift to the fullest. You even breathed Your Holy Spirit into men so that they would have the fullness of You at all times. Help them to honor that blessed gift to the fullest. Equipped. Encouraged. Empowered to live fully for You and unto You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflection:

Be intentional about being mindful of the breath. Spend some time regularly exercising deep breathing to clear the mind and refresh the body. It can work wonders!!

“Deep breaths are like little love notes to your body.”

(Author Unknown)