Spiritual Asthma

Asthma is most simply described this way: there is a specific air capacity that your lungs are capable of holding...when you have asthma, your lungs stay 1/4 of the way inflated at all times, thus only allowing you to fill up your lungs 3/4 of the way when you inhale deeply...after a few breaths, your lungs begin to breathe in more and more in order to receive the oxygen they need...then your brain gets involved and starts freaking out because you can't get all the oxygen you need, thus making your breathing faster and less productive.

I have diagnosed myself with spiritual asthma lately...I know it's a stretch, but just go with me on this one. Sometimes, we can just get so busy that we don't have a chance to come up for air...even if our days are consumed with doing the Lord's work, we can still have a void in our relationship with Him. Closeness in proximity is not closeness in intimacy...but that is for another post. Sometimes we can get so overwhelmed and overloaded with the work that the Lord has called us to that we cannot even take a breath and experience the life worth living that He wants us to live. This happens when we try to bear the burdens on our own. What is it about human nature that makes us think that we are powerful enough to take care of every little detail of our lives? We continually pile more and more responsibilities on our already full plates without seeking what God will have us do...we must allow Him to teach us the ever-important word "no." When we have more to do than there are hours in the day, it is hard not to start "hyperventilating"...then it seems like our lives are spinning out of control, when all we really need is our "inhaler," our Savior, Jesus Christ. (I know that "inhaler" is a terrible analogy for the Maker of all Heaven and Earth, but it fits.)

"Be still and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." --Psalm 46:10

Take a deep breath. Cast your burdens upon the only One who can do anything about them. Trust Him.