FEELING RUSHED WITH GOD?
There are only so many hours in the day and yet so much to do! Maybe you wear many hats and have a lot riding on you. Perhaps your to-do list is a mile-long, and you never can seem to keep up with it all.
Life never seems to slow down, and the rush feeling you experience in the everyday grind can quickly transfer into your relationship with God.
If this sounds like you, maybe it’s time to take a moment and breathe.
Lately, I have been re-examining how I approach God. I noticed that I come into a church service, worship, prayer, or bible study out of breath and ready to check off my list that I spent time with Him and met my quota for that day. When I do this, I treat God as another task to complete, rather than seeing my time with Him as a relationship to enjoy. I also recognize that during those times of rushing into the presence of God, my mind and heart are not entirely present with Him. My hurried state lacks a reverent relationship my soul desperately longs for with Jesus.
To combat this fast past lifestyle, God prompted me to take a few deep breathes before approaching Him.
God designed your breathing to help relax your mind. When you take a deep, meaningful breath of air, more oxygen enters your brain and stimulates the nervous system, promoting calmness to the rest of your body. It is incredible how taking an intentional breath with the lungs God gave you can help to calm and prepare you to worship Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. When you take the time to ready yourself before God, every part of you will be more prepared to enter into the presence of God.
Psalm 100 is an excellent reminder of how to enter into God’s presence.
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”
Psalms 100:1-5
When you rush your time with God, you do not enter into His courts with joy, thankfulness, and praise. According to this Psalm, when you enter into God’s court with the right attitude and heart, you will experience tremendous joy. Sometimes, to get to this place, you need to take a moment to breathe deeply in and out. In these moments, you can refocus your heart, mind, and soul to be completely open and vulnerable before your faithful God. He is not another item on your to-do list. He is your Father who values meeting with you.
It’s His breath in your lungs, so use it for His glory.
All Sons and Daughters sing a song called “Great Are You, Lord.” In the chorus, the musicians sing: “It’s your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise to you only, God.” God breathed life into you, and with that breath, you are to praise Him.
I encourage you to join me in slowing down, taking a deep breathe (or two) before meeting with the Lord. You will not regret the time you spend with Him. After all, praising God is what brings your soul the greatest joy and rest possible.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
Psalm 150:6
Reflect and Connect
How would you describe your time with God?
What are some of your favorite ways to worship Jesus?
How might taking a moment to breathe before approaching God be beneficial?
