Breathe Deep

Breathe Deep

At almost any time during a race, we may begin to panic, thinking we’ll never make it, and entertain thoughts about quitting. The miles to the finish may seem insurmountable . . . or we feel terrible . . . or we may have stumbled and fallen . . . or we’ve lost track of a running partner . . . or we’ve encountered a problem . . . or some combination of those factors. At those times, we need to take a breath, refocus, and keep going. Seriously, taking deep breaths is the perfect antidote for anxiety (and will give us more oxygen).

When worry moves beyond concern to anxiety, the next step can be panic and desperation, especially during the tough times of a long-distance run/race . . . and in life. Yet God, through Paul, tells us, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

Seriously, “always”? How is that possible? we might think.

So Paul tells us:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:6-9)

The Runner

This had not been one of Chase’s better days at work—boring meetings, conflicts, and interpersonal stress seemed to fill every moment . . . along with a call from his wife, Jill, with news that the credit card company still hadn’t corrected their mistake. He couldn’t wait to leave the office behind and get home.

“I don’t believe it,” Chase muttered as he walked from the building to his car. “Snowing again.” He opened the back door, threw in his briefcase and pulled out the scraper, and began brushing snow from his windows and mirrors, slipping and banging his bad knee against the front bumper in the process. The ride home was excruciatingly slow as Chase tried to avoid heavy traffic and icy patches, and the radio seemed to have only bad news about the dismal economy.

About half an hour into his commute, his cell phone rang—a call from a valued customer with a strong complaint. Chase did his best to soothe the customer’s feelings and solve the problem, but he wasn’t too successful. After he hung up and while trying to replace the phone, it slipped from his hand and under the seat.

As he was about to pass the neighborhood drug store, Chase suddenly remembered that he had promised to pick up Jill’s prescription, so he pulled into the drive-thru lane . . . and waited and waited, burning gas. “What’s wrong with these people!” he almost shouted. Jill had been struggling with migraines, and they hoped this medication would help.

Suddenly his cell rang, so he undid his seatbelt and struggled to reach the phone, just out of his easy grasp under the seat. As he grabbed the ringing phone, Chase heard the sound of fabric ripping—his coat had caught and torn as he had lunged for the phone. He missed the call, but a voice mail message from his doctor’s office said they needed to talk with him about the results of his recent blood test and something about cholesterol that he couldn’t quite hear.

What’s next? thought Chase as he finally pulled up to the drive-thru window. He went to pay for the prescription with his credit card, but it slipped into the dirty slush. So he struggled out, found the card, and made the transaction, spattering his newly cleaned pants in the process.

When Chase arrived home—too late to exercise and just in time for dinner—he discovered that the dog had peed on the carpet and the garbage disposal wasn’t working. To top off the day, that evening as he tried to unwind, Chase watched his favorite pro basketball team stink up the court. By the time Chase slipped under the covers, he felt frustrated and angry. “Everything in my life is so screwed up!” he mumbled as he tried to fall asleep. But at 1:00 a.m. he was still tossing and turning.

The Race

Chase was having a miserable afternoon and evening, with nothing going right. At every irritation and setback, his stress and anxiety levels rose. Compared to many people, however, Chase’s struggles were pretty insignificant. But small or large, irritations, conflicts, failures, and problems can affect us emotionally and spiritually and pull us down.

Not only can anxiety bring discouragement and thoughts about quitting, it can also sap our strength. In a race or in life, excessive worry leads to shortness of breath and muscle tightness and can bring on other physical problems. We feel stress and anxiety when we focus on all the negatives of our present condition, forgetting about the positive and good and about our ultimate goal.

If anyone had reason to give up, it was Job. He had lost his kids, his farm, and his health. His wife told him to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9), and his friends suggested that he had brought this calamity on himself through some secret sin. Job didn’t have any answers, nor did he know what his next step should be, but he declared this about God: “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15, NIV). Now that’s an example of focus and trust!

The Result

Hopefully you won’t have to endure troubles and trials as painful as Job’s. But if he can endure, so can you. During tough times—all of them, even the daily irritations of coworkers, weather, traffic, pets, and appliances—breathe deeply from God’s love. This involves remembering who he is, praying and focusing your thoughts on him, and thanking him for everything he has given you, all that is “true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable” (especially your salvation). That practice won’t remove the difficulties, problems, and pain, but it will remove the anxiety and restore your strength for the journey.

My Story

Waking up early in the morning may not be everyone’s cup of tea (or coffee). To be honest, it’s not always mine! After I’ve snoozed the alarm three, four—okay, maybe five—times, I finally roll out of bed. I’m already thinking about what I need to accomplish, what I didn’t finish yesterday, and fast-approaching deadlines. The weight of these thoughts makes my bed almost irresistible; yet I walk past it, down the stairs to where my shoes await. As I sit to tie my running shoes, I sense a twinge of excitement beginning to build. When I open the door, step out into the fresh morning air, and stretch, the thoughts that earlier weighed me down seem left behind. It’s just me, God, and the pavement. I begin to run, and every breath rejuvenates as I press on. Hearing the rhythm of my feet and the steadiness of my breath renews my energy. The sun paints the sky, and as the rays reach the trees, the earth seems to catch fire from the beams. Creation begins to sing, and the branches seem to reach even higher toward the heavens in praise to the Creator.

The still morning comes alive with color and joyful song, and I think, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! . . . Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything” (Philippians 4:4, 6). Rejoicing in the Lord while giving him all my anxious thoughts is not always easy. But when it is just me, God, and the pavement, I can lay my burdens at his feet, share my fears and concerns, rejoice in the victories, and enjoy his creation. This is a time not only for exercising or training but also for being one with my Creator.

As I turn the last corner and run up that last hill, though tired, I am rejuvenated. Now I can face those thoughts and concerns I left at the door, knowing I have laid them at the King’s feet. “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8).

When I choose to approach my day knowing the King of kings and Lord of lords will be my strength, I can live with expectations and deadlines, knowing I can daily come to him. Pondering on what is good, giving the worry over to the Lord, allows me to move through my tasks with the same vigor I feel when running, with a steadiness of mind and a confidence of spirit.

Amy

Think It Through

1. When has something during a run caused you to feel stressed or anxious? How about during a race? How did you overcome and keep running?

2. What relatively minor irritations and frustrations have stolen your joy? What major issues have sapped your strength?

3. When are you most susceptible to negative feelings about life and the future?

4. What about God and his gifts can you be thankful for? What can you do to take your eyes off your circumstances and struggles and focus on Christ?

On Running

What is positive reinforcement?

Positive reinforcement is when specific behavior is rewarded. A dog might get a treat for doing a trick. A child is rewarded with watching TV when homework is done. A runner gets a medal for finishing a marathon. These rewards help motivate a person to do what is right and to improve. There are two types of positive reinforcement rewards. Extrinsic rewards come from external sources, outside the individual, like the examples stated above. Intrinsic rewards come from within the individual, such as pride in achievement and feeling competent.