Pastor’s Corner: Breathe

January 17, 2018

Regular viewers of our “What I’m Thinking” video series might believe that I think about Scripture most of the time. And, when I’m in front of that camera every week, that’s precisely what I’m thinking about.

Sitting in front of the keyboard today, however, my mind has been awhirl with many, many things: the health of family and friends in this congregation and elsewhere; the harassment and assault suffered by so many women around the world; the scourge of violence in homes that so wounds those who endure it; the casual bigotry of an un-Presidential remark; the systems that obstruct the success of the poor; the spiritual hungers that nobody seems to meet…

Well. It’s a long list.

Just recently, though, I saw a photo distributed by our national leadership of the United Church of Christ. It shows a calm ocean at sunset, and upon this serene image are the words, “A simple reminder: breathe.”

As much as I want to “get out there” and “fix the world” and “make it all right,” the simple truth is that I can’t do it nearly as well (or possibly at all) with a roiling, stormy soul. That might be all right for giving me some energy, but out of that energy might come… what? I don’t know. The problem is, it could be anything. It’s unlikely to be my best.

So. As I confront my daily/weekly/monthly anxieties, I promise to breathe the anxiety away (or at least lessen it). The problems will still be there when the tension has subsided. And to them I’ll bring my un-jangled mind, my un-troubled spirit. I still might not “solve” anything, but I’ll have a much better chance to make things better.

Join me, will you? A simple reminder: Breathe.

With aloha,

Pastor Eric

The image was shared by the United Church of Christ.