Breathe

 

As March winds down and wraps up, as we find ourselves in the messy middle of Lent, I wonder how is it with your soul?  Seriously?  Honestly?  Whole-hearted-ly?  I am not looking for you to say, “I’m fine” through clinched teeth and a tight jaw with your shoulders so tense they touch your ears while you are exhausted from not getting enough sleep last night ~ I can say that because I live that.  How is it with your soul?  When was the last time you checked in with yourself ~ physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally and mentally?

 

Take a breath.  Breathe in God’s grace that holds us and behold how you reflect God’s image. Breathe out all those messages your inner critic screams as your mind offers unsolicited color commentary on your life.  Breathe in God’s peace, wholeness or shalom, that seeks to gather all your parts ~ the beautiful and broken and ordinary into God’s embrace.  Breathe out all the striving and saving and fixing we try to do.  Breathe in the love of God that is unconditional and uncontrollable and unceasing.  Breathe out the carbon dioxide of choke us.  Let out a loud sigh.  Even louder so I can hear it where I am!

 

Now, take a piece of paper and check in ~ what is roaming around your mind?  Again, be honest and earnest in this ~ about the good, the bad and the ugly.  Where are you worried, where are you wondering, where are you wandering?  What concerns and celebration spin on the hamster wheel of your mind? 

 

Now check in physically, do a body scan from the top of your head to pinkie toe.  Where is there sore muscles, pain, or ache?  What do the soles of your feet feel like?  How about your stomach is it settled (in the rest and digest stage) or doing summersaults? 

 

Now check in emotionally and spiritually ~ ask, “How is it with my soul?”  It doesn’t have to be amazing or awesome.  You could have an ordinary, okayish, day.  You could be having a terrible, rotten, no good, awful day.  You could be confused or frustrated.  You could be doubting today and have endless questions for God.  Remember, there are no good emotions or bad emotions.  Emotions are energy is motion~ emotions point us in a direction, that we can take or not take.  Same with thoughts.  Both are data points.

 

How are you and God doing?  It’s okay if you are going through a rough and rocky patch with God.  It is okay if you need to lament that God isn’t swooping in and saving us from all the brokenness and pain.  It is okay to shake a fist and raise a voice.  It is okay if you are confused about where God is or what God is calling you to do ~ I often am.  Where you are is where you are ~ and you can only start right here.  Remember, your emotions and thoughts don’t need to be chased or acted on, sometimes they just need to be noticed and heard.

 

Who do you pray for today?  Maybe a friend is going through cancer treatment or having surgery or struggling.  Maybe for our church.  Maybe for your enemy not to be a jerk today or for you to be able to respond without your words dripping, drenched with sarcasm.  For people and places you do not even know or will never visit. 

Now breathe and slowly exhale.  Again, breathe and slowly exhale.  Breathe and be knowing who and whose you are.  Amen.