Ninety miles an hour going fast as I can
Trying to push a little harder trying to get the upper hand
So much to do in so little time, it’s a crazy life
It’s ready, set, go it’s another wild day
When the stress is on the rise in my heart I feel you say just…
(Breathe)
I remember vividly the day I first heard this song. I was making a mad dash to get the kids out the door to school (this is years ago before I started homeschooling them). Rushing through thick traffic for our usual 20-minute drive that was turning now into a 40-minute drive. Feeling like usual, I was falling behind; and it was not even 8 am in the morning yet! My soul was begging for peace, relief from the stress and a chance to slow down.
Give me an Amen if you have felt this way, too, even if it was just rushing yourself out of the door to work. Life can get super busy and crazy, and I know many of you have felt this way too.
Many of my demands were wonderful- the gift of family, the gift of a job in ministry, and the gift of a good life. However, the demands on my time, health, energy, and peace were getting too much especially that morning. As I heard this song, I began to cry and feel God speaking to me that He understood. Then what happened next was so powerful. The beauty of this song when I heard it was that what it says next in the song was exactly what I needed to hear:
Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to just breathe
(Breathe)
We forget that God provides a gift just inside ourselves to slow down without the need for anything else. Breathing is such a gift. It fills our body with vital air and when completed slowly with care can create an amazing relaxed almost warming feeling throughout our bodies.
Take a moment now and close your eyes. Just focus on taking a long, deep breath.
Slowly in…pause…slowly out.
Feel how relaxed you are.
Again slowly in….pause…slowly out.
Become aware that God is within you and is holding you close.
No matter what life is pushing you to do today- take various times throughout the day for a long breath to remind yourself that you can rest for just one moment with God. Watch the relaxing of your muscles happen and a sense of calm. I know for me that my shoulders are where I carry my tension, busyness, and stress in a, particularly strong way. Every intentional breath helps relax my shoulders so wonderfully.
God knows we cannot find time every day for hours of silent prayer, but we can offer up a meaningful breath (or several more) to Him as an invitation for His peace and love to reside more deeply in our bodies. Then we can better handle the busyness of the day’s demands. Today my demands are different then when I first heard that song since I now homeschool my children, volunteer at the Church, cart two boys to baseball games and a daughter to ballet classes. I still need to remind myself to breathe when I need to slow down.
What a gift to our families to practice this ourselves and to teach them about taking a deep breath. It works wonders on myself and my children when the day’s challenges seem too much, or when our emotions are out of balance.
Now I invite you to listen to the song and allow it to be a gift for you- Breathe by Johnny Diaz
Did you hear the subtle heartbeat during the quiet refrain? If not, try to listen again closely. Remember that God is in the busy days but wants us to take time to just rest with Him and breathe!
References:
Breathe lyrics retrieved from https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jonnydiaz/breathe.html
