There, now don’t you feel better? When we stop to focus on our breathing all of sudden we become aware that we’re breathing. Before we do that, we don’t even realize we’re breathing. I’ve come to the conclusion we do that with a lot of other things in our lives too. I think it’s time we stop, focus, and breathe.
Life is passing us all by quickly. If we aren’t careful, we won’t even realize where our life went or what we did. There comes a time when we each need to decide our life needs some focus. We need to stop running all over the place and focus on what we are doing with our lives.
True Story Ahead
This month has been a difficult month for me. Most would not know that. I don’t share with just anyone any more. I learned a new concept today from David Horsager, author of The Trust Edge. He spoke at a seminar I attended today at Bethel University.
The seminar’s topic was about building trust. For one point, Horsager mentioned being transparent.
Transparency is a good thing, BUT there is also this thing called confidentiality. To trust and to be trustworthy we need both. It’s a both/and. I believe in both/and’s.
I love this transparency-confidentiality both/and because while being transparent is something I desire to be with you, I also desire to be trustworthy. I can’t honor every person or situation in my life if I’m transparent about everything. Hence, the confidentiality part.
Rush Hour
On my way home tonight from work, I noticed my breathing. Traffic was hectic. Okay, so here’s what really happened. My plan was to spend my evening at my writer’s studio. When I made it through rush-hour traffic and actually got downtown, there was no parking anywhere! I drove around the block three times, which in downtown Minneapolis at 5:30 p.m. can take quite some time.
As I sat at a stoplight, that’s when I decided it just wasn’t going to happen tonight. I was not going to be able to use my writer’s studio.
As I made my way back onto the Interstate to head home, I encountered more rush-hour traffic.
I could have become very irritated, and I almost allowed myself to enter the irritation lane. But I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. Then I did that again. And again. That’s when I realized I had been breathing all along. I just wasn’t aware I’d been breathing. Weird thought, but stay with me.
The rest of the drive home was still in bumper-to-bumper traffic, but I wasn’t clenching my jaws. I had become aware of my breathing, and I decided to intentionally breathe in and breathe out.
It’s a both/and thing too.
Focus on the One
When I got home, I claimed my spot in the corner of my bedroom where I have a small desk and table.
I decided I was going to focus tonight on what I need to focus on.
I spend a lot of time in the Psalms. I read and pray the Psalms. I’m encouraged by the Psalms.
Psalm 34:1-8 from The Message really spoke to me tonight. Listen to this:
I bless GOD every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise.
2 I live and breathe GOD;
if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:
3 Join me in spreading the news;
together let’s get the word out.
4 GOD met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.
5 Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.
6 When I was desperate, I called out,
and GOD got me out of a tight spot.
7 GOD’s angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.
8 Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good GOD is.
Blessed are you who run to him.
How wonderful that we can breathe in and breathe out both our praises and our fears to God.
How delightful we can both taste and see how good God is.
How fantastic we can give Him both our warmest smiles and never hide our feelings from Him.
With God we can be transparent because He keeps things confidential. We can trust Him.
So while I can be transparent that this last month has had some challenges for me, I’m working on being trustworthy so I need to be confidential.
But I can smile with a joy-filled heart because I know my God has set up a circle of angels around me. I can breathe in and breathe out and focus on the One who meets my every need.
I hope you’ll join me in spreading this news that we can be both transparent and confidential as we breathe in and breathe out every single day.
May the Lord bless you abundantly.
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