Finally the weather is cooler, the humidity is not so bad. Fall is on its way and I love it. Early morning walks are in the dark but at least more enjoyable.
I have talked often on here about how I am not a runner. I want to be. I want to love it. I want to be able to just walk out the door and take off running. (That is another post all together about training and what you have to put into something that you really want.)
But, since it has been nicer and cooler and bearable outside I am trying to add more running, jogging really, to our morning walks. So, this morning we started out jogging. And it felt good. I have learned I can do better on my breathing if I have a song in my head to concentrate on. This morning that song was the simple lyrics from Matt Redman's song "Your Grace Finds Me". The lyrics, "so, I'm breathing in your grace, and I'm breathing out your praise." They fit well with simple breathing in air and breathing out air.
They were working great. Then I suddenly realized I had reached that point where I wasn't really breathing anymore I was gulping for air. And it hit me sometimes that is how my walk with God is I am gulping for grace. When things suddenly aren't going the way I had planned them out. When the same thing sets off those feelings of bitterness, envy, or jealousy again for the umpteenth time. When I let my reactions and emotions take over and I am no longer breathing out praise. Instead I am holding in grace just like holding my breathe when I jog.
But the solution for both is the same thing. When I am jogging and find myself gulping for breathe, I go back to walking again until my breathing is back in a normal rhythm. Then I can pick up and start jogging again.
When my old self takes over I need to stop running, slow down, breathe, be thankful, think about the amazing creator who creates everything around me. Think about the God who loves me, the one who sent his only son to die for me. When I do that then once again I begin to breathe in his grace and breathe out his praise.
Are you gulping or breathing today?
