Just Breathe

Dear Friends,If you’ve been tracking with us four the past five weeks through Galatians, you may recognize that we’ve wound up in a bit of a surprising place.  Recognizing Paul’s main point to be – you don’t need to be circumcised to be a faithful follower of Jesus – just live out your faith through loving service to others – we’ve then been talking, rather practically about… our practice.

Last Wednesday, I invited you to do an audit or an inventory of your time – how are you spending it and are you happy with the person that you’re being formed into?

My guess is that your answers, like mine, are a bit of a mixed bag.  Some of your practices, some of the ways you routinely spend your time are forming you in ways that you like.  And some other practices are not having the same kind of positive results.  Any time I’ve gone through that process, I’ve come away like that.  And usually what it causes me to do, is to pick a handful of practices, and run headlong into practicing them for all of five minutes, before I’m exhausted and give up.

It’s the yo-yo diet of our formation in Christ.

I look at my life and I say, “I’d like to be more like Jesus, so I need to do stuff like Jesus.” And immediately I commit to reading my bible daily, praying daily, K-Love in the car, journaling at night, buying a new devotional book, signing up for a service project and a small group and showing up at every worship gathering I can… And the minute I miss something, I get so down on myself that I give it all up.  And I’m back where I was.

I don’t think that’s what God wants for us.  I actually think that Jesus’ invitation to follow him, isn’t as arduous as we might think.  And the first step isn’t about adding anything. It’s not about slapping on a new habit or practice or rule… it’s about… taking a breath.

Just breathe.

I asked someone recently, who is in the midst of wrestling with some major life decisions, feeling the push and pull of various people and commitments, What do you think God might be whispering to you?

They paused.

And then they said, “I think God is whispering to take a breath.”  And you could see the shift in their expression, their demeanor, their whole way of being in those moments.

Just breathe.

I couldn’t have said it any better myself.  And as it turns out, I didn’t need to. They heard the whisper of God.

Friends, I’m convinced more than ever that what we are invited in to, is not more furious doing on behalf of God, not following rules more arduously or with more vigor, not more excitement or energy, not a stronger commitment or a more powerful witness.  What we need to take a breath.

If we are to be in step with the Spirit, as Paul instructs in his letter to the Galatians, it requires us to slow, recognize the Spirit moving among us, and to breathe it in.  One practice, one action that I commend to you before embarking on anything else as you seek to follow Jesus is to slow down and breathe.  Make room for God in this moment, right now, right where you are.

Just breathe.

Welcoming You to Grow in Jesus, one breath at a time,

Pastor Don