STOP HOLDING YOUR BREATH!!!
I don’t remember when, but one day I realized I was perpetually holding my breath.
We have a way in the Caribbean, when someone promises you something and you don’t expect them to follow through, you tell them “I’m not going to hold my breath” OR someone asks you for something and you want them to know not to expect it, you say “Don’t hold your breath”.
The person on the receiving end of that statement knows that if they were to literally hold their breath they would die for lack of air….. because what they’re expecting would NEVER happen!!!
Well, emotionally, I was holding my breath for my life to be what I wanted it to be. I had put truly-living-my-life… on hold.
You see, I had faced chronic illness, dissappointments, pain, sorrow, and loss. Yes, loss. Loss of life as I thought it would have been - unfulfilled expectations.
I was waiting for things to get back to “normal” or “how I thought they should be” before I could “breathe” again.
The reality eventually sank in that “waiting to exhale” neither made sense, nor was necessary.
Afterall, I know the God who could do more than I could ask, think or even imagine. In fact He lives in me and through His Holy Spirit empowers me and has already given me ALL I need for life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3)
I decided to accept God’s gift to me and live my life fully, RIGHT IN THE NOW by believing and trusting in Him and taking Him at His every word, especially these two scripture verses:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9); and
“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)
God has been faithful.
Our lives may not be, and may never be, on the same trajectory as we had planned, nor anticipate because as we learn in Proverbs 16:9, ‘we can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.’
I am now able to accept life as it is, knowing, believing, and experiencing that my soveriegn God’s plan for me is perfect (better than mine) and He is working everything out for my good. His grace is enough for me to live abundantly no matter what I am facing or will face in the future.
What are you holding your breath for? A better job? A promotion? More money? A car? A house? A degree? A husband? A divorce? The children to finish school, move out, or get married? Retirement?
Whatever you think will make you complete, if it’s not God, DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH!
If like me you have learned to stop holding your breath, if you can, please share with your ‘sistas’ in the comments, or privately with me, what you were holding your breath for.
If you’re still holding your breath, what do you think you need to “feel” like you are enough, or have accomplished enough, to stop holding your breath? What will it take for you to exhale and start living a purposeful, fulfilling and abundant life?
Your Weekend tip:
Stop holding your breath, exhale, and start living an abundant life RIGHT NOW? If you would like to receive a ‘Quick Guide to Living An Abundant Life’ message me privately and I will get it directly to you.
Sharon Carruthers, the author of the ‘Weekend Reset’ blog is a child of God, wife, mother of 3, a Human Resource Management and Development Consultant, and owner of the firm, ‘Bold Consulting’. She is sharing from her own experiences for women who are holding back, or living on autopilot; who believe their identities are in others and, or in what they do; or who neglect themselves while sacrificially taking care of others. She hopes that together Christian women can embrace the future with the beautiful hope of transformation one step at a time.
Come hear from Crystal Daye how you can say goodbye 🖐🏼to insecurity, in my upcoming one hour "Recharge and Reset" on September 21st at 6:00 P.M. Register for this FREE event HERE;
