“But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.” Job 32:8 (NIV)
I’ll admit it. I struggle with anxiety. Sometimes it’s so bad I can’t move or breathe. I have a memory of sledding with friends as a teenager. Everyone else was laughing and zooming down the hill. But when I climbed to the top, I froze like a statue. It took a friend over an hour to chisel out steps in the snow and coax me down. Lately, I have suffered anxiety attacks because of a recent automobile accident. Even being a passenger sends me into a panic. So, when I freak out, my husband whispers, “Just breathe.”
As it turns out, my husband was on to something. When I researched anxiety management, I found that controlled, deep breathing is the best technique. You place your hand on your abdomen, breathe slowly through your nose for four counts, feel your abdomen rise, hold it for four counts, and breathe out for four counts.
Next, I discovered irrational thoughts, like fearing something terrible will happen or that you’ll make a mistake, can cause anxiety. However, when we challenge and change our irrational thoughts, we can curtail our anxiety.
Finally, I learned imagery can reduce anxiety because your thoughts have the power to change how you feel. If you think of something scary or sad, you will feel scared or depressed. But if you think about something calm, you will feel relaxed. So, you can close your eyes and use all your senses to imagine something calming.
As believers in Christ, we can combine all three techniques for the best benefit. Why? Because God’s breath has power. After all, God formed man from the dust in the ground and breathed the breath of life into him (Genesis 2:7). Additionally, today’s key verse teaches us, “But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding” (Job 32:8, NIV). Since God’s Holy Spirit dwells in us, His breath can fill us with understanding and ease our anxiety.
So, the next time you experience anxiety, you, too, can “just breathe” and allow God’s spirit to fill you with peace and understanding. Just follow these steps.
- Close your eyes and breathe in God’s presence, love, and peace for 4 seconds. Imagine God holding you in His arms or covering you with an eagle’s wings. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” (Psalm 91:4, NIV).
- Hold your breath for 4 seconds while being still. Imagine God whispering, “Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10, NIV) Or, silently praise and thank Him. “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD” (Psalm 150:6, NIV).
- Finally, breathe out for 4 seconds while releasing any irrational thoughts, replacing them with truth or a promise from God’s Word, and “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2, NIV).
Dear Heavenly Father, When I am frozen in fear and anxiety, help me remember to breathe in Your love and goodness. Please relieve me of my anxious thoughts and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24). Help me take my irrational thoughts captive by replacing them with Your truth. Renew my mind with your love, peace, and the promises of your Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
For Further Study:
Worry and Anxiety Bible Verses
