Breath

When I run I typically listen to a Podcast that I have downloaded.  I have been downloading Podcasts from my own church that I have missed.  More often (since I don’t miss that many and there would only be one a week anyway) I listen to other pastors.  On Monday I was listening to Shane Hipps.  He is a teacher at Mars Hill Church in Michigan.  You may be more familiar with the lead Pastor from that church Rob Bell.

Shane was speaking on the concept of calling.  As I was in my last running interval he said something like this: “God wants us to do this stuff because he thinks they will be fun for us.”  He challenged the idea that if we don’t answer our calling we will anger or disappoint God.  He wants the best for us.  He thinks we will enjoy these things.  Will we always enjoy them?  Probably not.  In the learning stages and through some difficult times our calling will be just plain hard and no fun at all.  But overall, we are called to things that God knows will nourish our soul.  God knows how we are wired.

Then when I got home the teaching was still going and Shane was leading the group through a meditation exercise.  I sat down and went through the exercise with him.  He started with the typical breath in, breath out, just notice your breathing.  Then he said something I will never forget, “Remember that each breath is God breathing into you.  Each breath you take means that God has a purpose for you.”

At that point, tears streamed down my face.  I have been struggling because I made all of these commitments at the beginning of the year.  I am moving forward for sure but it has been difficult.  I feel like I am failing because I haven’t been able to consistently follow spiritual disciplines.  Yet what it comes down to is that every breath means that God has a purpose for me.