Breathe in-Breathe out

I have a little exercise for you to do. DONT WORRY. It's quick and painless (and even good for you!). Here it is....

Take a deep breath. Like a really deep breath. The kind that makes you pause for a few seconds and not think entirely straight and perfectly straight all at the same time.

Now let it out. Breathe out. Fully. Make sure you feel empty. Like the kind of empty that feels weak and full at the same time.

What a weird way to start a blog post, right?! Hang with me.

I've been thinking about this whole breathing thing. Recently I found myself in another conversation with God about how to fully love my husband. The day in-day out kind of stuff. How can I encourage him when he gets home from work if I am dog tired from my day with our three littles. How in the world can I have energy to go to him and hug him and offer a genuine listening ear when I am so ready for dead silence and just time to think-alone. (Which believe me, is much more difficult than it seems when you're caring for three children under the age of 4. )

"How God, how!?"

Here's what he replied... "Chelsia, breathe in so you can breathe out".

Do you hear it?...He told me I have to breathe HIM in in order to breathe HIM out to my husband.

The truth is simple. If we want to offer our spouses (or any other relationship) true love, grace, wisdom, honesty and encouragement we have to be filled with that. I can't expect to speak truth into my husbands life if I am not spending time filling myself with that truth. We can't give someone something we don't have. I can't speak kind words and have a heart of respect and love if I am not going to the one who fills me with those very things.

It's literally impossible.

You may be thinking "I've heard this a thousand times! It still doesn't help". I get it. It's old news. I'm writing to myself when I say that we have to choose to believe it with our souls.

Nothing takes root unless we plant it.

I like the way Psalm 19:7-9 points us to the life-giving greatness of God. The translation in the "The Message" is pretty cool.

"The revelation of God is whole
    and pulls our lives together.
The signposts of God are clear
    and point out the right road.
The life-maps of God are right,
    showing the way to joy.
The directions of God are plain
    and easy on the eyes.
God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold,
    with a lifetime guarantee.
The decisions of God are accurate
    down to the nth degree."

When we breathe in God-His truth from the Bible-we get complete access to all of this. He holds nothing of himself from us. The God of the universe, whose glory is declared by the heavens, the only one the mountains will bow to, who controls water, light, dark and all things under the sun, offers to fill you and me with all things glorious so that we can breathe those things into others.

We don't have to 'fake' love or 'fake' forgiveness or 'fake' affection towards our spouse. I'm over that. I'm over striving to give something I don't have. I resolve to go to the giver in order to get what I need. You wouldn't go to the grocery store to buy gasoline for your vehicle so why look inward for something we don't have and cant give-unless of course God has filled us with it.

How about you? How do you fill this in...."I wish I___________". Do you wish you were more patient when your kids mess up? Do you wish you had the right thing to say to your friend whose getting a divorce? Do you wish you were more loving to the impossibly annoying co-worker?

Just remember this...it's as easy as breathe in-breathe out.

Chels


"May the words of the mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14