I was asked to speak with a few others during our first night of debrief. Normally, the idea of speaking in front of others is such a nerve-wracking thing, cause it can be so difficult for me to transition my thoughts into words. I went back and forth between a few words God might have had for my squad, but it wasn’t until today when I realized the word that needed to be said: breathe.
A technique often used within the different coping techniques for mental illness is breathing exercises. This past month, every day I prayed for God to give me a word for the day, and each time He gave me the same word: breathe.
At this point in the Race, my team had been going nonstop, it felt we barely had time to rest and recharge and I just couldn’t get a breath in.That’s when God would give me that word again to remind me to keep breathing, letting me slow down for a few seconds and remember that I could get through the day even when I didn’t know how I would be able to.
The theme of our debrief is Inheritance and that involves Breath.
It’s such an important part of our lives. When God made man, what was the first thing we inherited from Him?
Breath.
When we’re born, what’s the first thing we do?
Breathe.
When we wake up the first thing we do is breathe.
At the end of the day, before we fall asleep the last thing we do is breathe. And we continue to breathe, because it’s a huge part of what keeps us alive.
God is the Breath of Life. That breath is the partial inheritance we were given before we accepted our full inheritance. We’ve used that breath crying out to God to save us from our sins. He designed an entire planet built to give us breath!
Now, the important thing is what will we do with that breath? Will we give thanks to God? Will we continue to praise Him even when things seem so dark and impossible?
Our breath has the power to build flames, but it also has the power to put it out.
Breathe in so deeply and let God speak into those few seconds.
What will you do with your inheritance?
What will you do with your breath?
