Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need Is to just breathe
Breathe. It sounds like such a simple statement, but do you know how powerful a single breath can be? Just think about it: how often do you consciously contemplate taking air into your lungs and pushing it back out again? This is such a simple act of necessity, but it is one that we constantly take for granted! So much has to happen in order for gas exchange to occur, but we don't ever really pause to appreciate it.
Alarm clock screaming, bare feet hit the floor
It's off to the races everybody out the door
I'm feeling like I'm falling behind, it's a crazy life
One year ago, would we have ever imagined that the world would look like this? I feel like we have become far more aware that even the simple act of breathing is a gift. Masks are everywhere: in churches, grocery stores, hospitals, gyms, schools, the list goes on and on. We've been told that breathing may actually harm those around us, so we are encouraged to protect ourselves and others by covering up this basic life function. Long shifts and clinical days drag on even longer as we feel smothered by the constrictive N95's and surgical masks that are now mandatory for us to carry out our jobs. The fast pace and constant, growing list of tasks that we face every day rarely allow us time to remove our face coverings and take a deep, unrestricted breath of fresh air.
Ninety miles an hour going fast as I can...Trying to push a little harder trying to get the upper hand. So much to do in so little time, it's a crazy life! It's ready, set, go it's another wild day. When the stress is on the rise in my heart I feel you say just...
BREATHE.
I don't know about you, but life has definitely felt like it has been going 90 miles an hour lately. It has seemed like all I can do just to stay on top of my assignments and study for one exam after another. When I wrote out my schedule for this month and tried to block out my study time, I had no idea where to begin. 9 exams, 5 clinical days, and weeks full of classes and work seemed to leave no room to pause and take a breath.
Breathe, just breathe.
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need Is to just breathe
One of the biggest lessons I've learned over the past couple weeks is that it is SO easy to deceive yourself when you are going through nursing school. The reason why I want to pursue this passion of mine is so that I can help people. Yet this is where it gets so tricky. Yes, I am absolutely pouring myself into serving other people every single clinical rotation! I certainly don't feel selfish when I am giving a bed bath, wiping up throw up off the floor or emptying a foley bag for the umpteenth time! But am I really just thinking of other people? Whenever I get hyper-focused on doing my best for my patients, getting good grades on all my exams, filling out every bit of paperwork perfectly, and answering every practice problem in all my study guides I find that I completely wear myself down. Ultimately what I am doing has good intentions, and I am trying to become the very best nurse I can be. The problem is, I cannot do ANY of this through my own strength. Without God's grace, there is absolutely no way I could be where I am in my nursing journey. If I get so caught up in doing everything as perfectly as I can, I begin to focus on myself and criticize myself for all of the ways I fall short of my perfect expectations. I completely neglect the fact that I couldn't be doing anything "good" if I was doing it by myself.
Third cup of joe just to get me through the day. Want to make the most of time but I feel it slip away!
I wonder if there's something more to this crazy life...
I'm busy, busy, busy, and it's no surprise to see That I only have time for me, me, me...
There's gotta be something more to this crazy life
How is it that it is so easy to slip into selfish thoughts when you are constantly busy doing what feels right? Do I really only have time for me? What is the point?
I'm hanging on tight to another wild day When it starts to fall apart in my heart I hear you say just
Breathe, just breathe Come and rest at my feet And be, just be
When was the last time you stopped to "just be"? When I am overwhelmed, one of my favorite ways to release stress is to go for a run. The other morning I was turning off our road and realized that I hadn't even warmed up. I had just started running-anxious thoughts and guilt over how badly I had been handling my stress and exhaustion racing through my mind. I suddenly realized that I needed to pause and slow down. I needed to "just be." I forced myself to slow to a walk, and I began to pray. I poured out my heart and realized that my real problem was that I was relying only on my own strength. Instantly I was drawn to the precious promises in Matthew 11, where Jesus reminded his disciples that they do not need to allow themselves to become worn down and exhausted by striving for a perfection He knew they couldn't achieve. They needed to stop looking internally and turn their eyes on Him.
"Come to me...all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
As I paused from my run, slowing to a walk and taking the time to pray and recenter my mind on what is true, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace sweep over me. I turned my exam that morning over to God, resting in the confidence that I had poured my heart into studying and God would be with me whether I passed or failed. The long list of things I had to do seemed so much less important when I realized that I would be given the grace to accomplish whatever I truly needed to do that day. When I clicked on my final answer and saw that I had passed my exam, I let out a deep breath and whispered a heartfelt, "Thank YOU, GOD!!" There was absolutely no way I could have done that on my own.
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to take it in, fill your lungs The peace of God that overcomes Just breathe (just breathe) let your weary spirit rest Lay down what's good and find what's best Just breathe (just breathe)
Take a deep breath. Allow yourself to close your eyes and rest in the simple function that is essential for you to "be"! Don't try to do everything by your own power. Rest in God's peace, and let your weary spirit rest. Only then will you truly be able to do and find what is best. Dear friends, aren't you so thankful that no matter what is going on in this crazy life, all that God requires of us is to breathe and carry His yolk! Don't fall into the trap that I did of living up to unrealistic expectations and slipping into self-centeredness. Let God work in you. I promise, He will do far more than you could ever imagine!
Comments