Breathe Normally

The president of YFC USA is an outstanding speaker and thought provoker.  I get the privilege of hearing him speak on occasion and receive regular updates from him as encouragement.  He is a man of God and of the Word.  This latest fragment has especially been an encouragement to me personally.  Take the time to read it and remember to breathe normally.


Breathe Normally Dan Wolgemuth, YFC/USA President
 
"In the unlikely event of a loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling. Pull the mask to your face, cover your nose and mouth and continue to breathe normally."  
 
Breathe normally!  Are you kidding me?
 
This boilerplate message (or some close variation) gets delivered by diligent flight attendants on every commercial flight, and each time I'm struck by the ridiculous nature of the instruction.  With cabin pressure fluctuating and oxygen masks flopping, I don't think I would be breathing normally.  Would you?
 
And yet I understand the need for the directive... calm in the midst of chaos allows for better decision making and a more controlled process.  But trust and discipline are required.
 
Quite frankly, I've come to realize that this directive was something that Jesus taught; not while on a jet airliner, but certainly in the midst of chaos.  When life moves to an uncontrollable state... rest... trust... believe... breathe normally.  
 
On a tumultuous sea... breathe normally.
When cash won't buy enough groceries for a vast army... breathe normally.
During an onslaught from the enemy... breathe normally.
In the midst of false accusations... breathe normally.
 
Jesus knew that trust, authentic trust, could weather any storm, could confront any enemy, could surround any encounter... it was confidence in the powerful and perfect plan of God that created peace; even to the point where it "surpassed understanding."
 
The New Year will bring its fair share of fluctuating cabin pressure and deployed oxygen masks.  There will be ministry challenges, resource constraints, health issues, disappointing relationships... and the list grows.  Our pulse races, our breathing shortens and intensifies and we begin to doubt.  To wonder if God really can, or will, or ...
 
I want the peace of God to reign.  To permeate every situation.  To arrest every germ of doubt.  I want to breathe normally... even when...
 
Will you pray for peace in 2011?  Not the absence of problems; not the solution to every problem; not for perfect sailing; but for peace.
 
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27 ESV) 
 
Breathe normally... 
 
May peace be what marks this coming year.