Take a Breath
I want to just take a moment. More than a moment, I suppose… a breath. I want to take a breath and contemplate life. I’m writing this post as I move into a new work week. Likely, not much differently than you on any given Monday.
There are tasks to be done, projects to complete, and schedules to meet. Sound familiar?
Maybe you’re going about business in a different way. Tasks once performed in groups may be accomplished alone. Projects may require a new way of thinking and execution. Schedules might have slipped or could be they’ve compressed. You may be under the stress of going back to work or not being able to go back to work.
No matter what, stopping altogether is not an option. Oh, you may want to. You may want to stay in bed or hide from the world. But, you can’t—or shouldn’t.
I encourage you to take a breath. I don’t just mean take a breath metaphorically. Breathe in deeply. Exhale slowly.
Take stock of your surroundings.
As I type, I watch the winds whip tree branches. Dappled light paints the yard and trees around the back of the house. The lack of sun reminds me of how the surroundings have changed over the last twenty years. When we built the house, we had plenty of sun in the backyard. We grew vegetables. We considered putting up some type of barrier to cool us on the patio.
Now, the constant summer shade frustrates our gardening. We must search each year for unobstructed areas. Every summer I get closer to trading struggling grass for natural area.
You don’t have to be looking outside to observe change. No matter where you are, you can recognize differences year-to-year. Are your changes for the good? The bad? Are you frustrated? Encouraged?
Take a breath.
As you do, consider the creator of Life—Jesus. John begins his gospel by making bold declarations about Jesus.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:1-5, NASB)
While these words can seem confusing, they present a clear message. Jesus is eternal, here since the beginning. He is the second person of the Trinity. From the beginning, along with the Holy Spirit (introduced later in the book of John), with God. And, He was God.
All that in the first sentence, John 1:1, and confirmed in the second sentence. Take note of what comes next. All things came into being through Jesus. Nothing… and that means “no thing” came into being apart from Jesus.
Take a breath. Big breath in, slow breath out. As you breathe, allow Him to have control. You can count on Him.
Jesus has this. He has you. He is God and there is none greater than God. Your fears, frustrations, and concerns for failure do not happen without Him knowing about them.
When you just want to take a moment… or a breath, don’t just contemplate life, contemplate the giver of life. Those breaths will come easier.
Try it and let me know what you think.
Today’s feature photo comes from a “photo-a-day” challenge I pursued several years ago. The photo inspires the topic. For me, the posts challenge my creativity, writing discipline, and dependence on God for His message. My prayer is that you find hope in God’s Word, and that you’ll share your hope with others.
