“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 33:4
LEARN
Take a deep. Breathe out. Ahhhh. It’s easy to forget to breathe isn’t it? I mean, we are breathing right now, but we don’t think about it. When we take a moment of stillness to be with the Lord, simply becoming aware of our breath can help focus the mind on truth and relax the body. This is especially helpful when anxious thoughts tempt us to panic.
KNOW
What type of breather are you?
Try this experiment. Sitting up or standing, place one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest. Now take a deep breath in.
Did your abdomen go in or out?
If your abdomen went in on the inhale, you’re only filling the upper part of your lungs. If your belly relaxed and expanded on the inhale, you are breathing form the diaphragm. This means your lungs are expanding and drawing in more air, releasing more carbon dioxide with each breath. Notice a baby and how their bellies move up and down on each breath, they are filling up their lungs and are natural belly breathers.
DO
How to breathe deep
Sit in a chair or stand.
Place one hand on your abdomen just above your navel.
Place your other hand on your upper chest, just below your collar bone.
Inhale deeply through your nose and try to gently make the hand on your abdomen move. You want your belly to expand like a balloon with air.
Relax your abdomen. Your upper hand should move only slightly on the deepest part of the inhalation, gently filling the upper part of the lungs with air after the lower part of the lungs are filled.
Exhale gently through the nose. This is considered a complete deep diaphragmatic breath.
Put into practice
When anxious fears come into your mind tempting to rob you of your joy and peace in Christ, here are a few simple steps you can take.
Take a few moments to sit still before the Lord, handing over all your worries in prayer.
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
Use deep diaphragmatic breathing to help your body return to a place of rest
5 seconds of inhale into your lower and upper lungs, 5 seconds exhale = 10 seconds
Do this three times through = 30 seconds
As you breathe, meditate on Philippians 4:6-7
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
You can also do the following stretches while meditating on the corresponding scriptures
The Angel
“For He will give His angels charger over you to keep you safe in all of your ways.” Psalm 91:11
This stretches the spine and shoulder muscles, builds abdominal strength, and endurance.
The Reed
“A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench.” Isaiah 42:3
This stretch releases and opens the front of the body and strengthens the endocrine system.
Don’t forget to breathe.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
