Breathing Room

Eight years ago, my dad passed away. Six years ago, my mom started having medical problems. It was a lot for me because I was the one taking all of this on. At one point, I thought I might be starting to have a mental breakdown because I was feeling stressed and helpless. I felt as though I just couldn’t catch up because I had a family to take care of as well. Everything felt heavy.

But something happened. I suddenly realized how much I needed God to take things from me, and with that, I stopped trying to carry it all on my own.

I went to the back of our acreage, and I cried out to God. I laid it all out. I told Him I couldn’t do it, and I wasn’t sure why He had given all of this to me. After my honesty session with the Lord, I felt like I suddenly had some breathing room. Crying out and knowing God heard me gave me what I needed.

The weight had been lifted, and I knew right then that as long as I was trying to do it on my own, I would feel the full weight. But if I would just allow God in, He would be true to His Scripture — Matthew 11:28–30: “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’”

Between this scripture and my life scripture Isaiah 40:31 – “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” I was new; I felt free. I felt as though the weight was literally lifted because I knew without a doubt that God was with me, carrying me through. He heard my cry.

Oftentimes we need to get away to have room to breathe, and that will help as long as we are gone—but what keeps that freedom going when we get back? It’s like the phrase: we need a vacation after we get back from our vacation. That’s because no matter where we go or how long we go, life has kept going, and all that we left will still be there.

God is the only way we find the freedom that we truly seek, no matter what chaos is going on around us. It is in Him that we can stand strong, knowing we aren’t alone—He’s carrying our burdens. And when we trust in Him, we will soar like eagles. We can and will grow weary, BUT WITH GOD it won’t feel so weighted.

There have been many times in life where God has rescued me and given me room to breathe, and yet every time I struggle to remember that He is the One to provide just what I need. It’s like after all these years, I still haven’t learned the knee-jerk reaction to trust God first.

Breathing room and time with Him is what should come first so that I can get clarity and guidance.

The Bible tells us to keep the Father’s commands close to our hearts and wear the words around our necks (Proverbs 6:21).

God’s Word is true, and with that, we can be sure that we will find what we need. We need to keep them close as a reminder to seek God first.

So don’t struggle to release all you have to the Lord. He is the one and only One who can truly take your burdens and give you the breathing room that you need. Dive into the Word, believe what it says, and trust in the Lord with ALL YOUR HEART—ALL YOU ARE.