Hey, no matter where you are listening to this vlog or reading my blog, take a big breath and let it out slowly. Yep, you know what I’m talking about. Feels kind of good, doesn’t it? How often do we do that just to relax?
However, sometimes we do something similar, but we let it out faster than we took it in. Like this . . . .
When it takes that form we’d probably call it more of a “sigh,” right? And sighs aren’t necessarily bad. We might sigh when we’ve worked hard on project or faced a slightly scary or challenging task. Our sigh then is more of a satisfied or relieved sigh as a result of, “Hey, I’m glad that’s over but it turned out okay.”
Or it might be a “Hey, I made it moment. Woo hoo!”
But often sighs come during more difficult life events, everything from a morning sigh, “Oh wow, another day and it’s only Tuesday,” to an anytime sigh that says, “I’m overwhelmed,” or “I don’t know how we’re going to make it through another week or month or year.”
It’s often during a time when we don’t have many, if any, answers to the pressures, difficulties and stresses of life.
I like to joke that sighing has been studied for years in universities everywhere. It’s called SIGH-cology. There’s an entertainment genre of books and movies called SIGH-fi and we call going online SIGHberspace. Okay, no more SIGHing puns. I’ll be SIGHlent now on that.
However, did you know that the Bible refers to sighing making it clear that God is aware and understands our sighing, our moments being overwhelmed or in pain or confused not knowing what to do next?
For example, in Psalm 5, David is overwhelmed for some reason. The circumstances aren’t delineated, but later in the chapter he talks about evil and his enemies, so people were clearly at the center of his struggles. And as we know from other Bible books, David’s journey to be king and remain as such was anything but smooth. Whatever the case, listen to his words in 5: 1.
“Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing.” In Psalm 6:6, a different, but similar word is used. “I am worn out from groaning.” But the theme continues in Psalm 38:9, “All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.”
In our worst moments, accompanying our deepest sighs, we can come to the place where we don’t even know what to say or pray. There are no words.
Some Bible versions translate the Psalm 5 passage as mediation but it’s clearly not referring to mere musings about life, faith or the future. In fact, the follow-up passage in Psalm 6 is accurately also translated groaning. No words, just gut-wrenching sounds from deep within because we have nothing else to adequately express our loss, confusion, grief, despair or other emotional pain.
The good news that we need when our sighing is a sign that our emotions are at a critical level?
First, as Psalm 38 says, “My sighing is not hid from you.” God didn’t miss our circumstances nor does he look the other way. We’re not alone, even if we feel like no one else has really been there with me. Like a loving parent, when their children are hurting, the mom and/or dad are drawn TO the child, not away. God does the same.
Second, when we’re out of words, the Holy Spirit prays for us. In Romans 8, the same chapter that ends with the beautiful reminders that nothing can separate us from God’s love, we read: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Our groans may be empty of words, but the Spirit’s are not.
Third, David reminds us that God does hear our sighs, our groanings and our cries, so he waits expectantly. Psalm 38:15 says, “I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord my God.”
So, what might our responses to minutes, hours, days or months of sighing. Share our requests openly and honestly. (Psalm 5:3) Then wait and let God show you how He’s been at work. Wait expectantly knowing that God’s got your situation (Psalm 5:3b).
But most importantly, keep walking out your faith, not paralyzed but choosing joy over being stuck, still breathing positive life into your home, church, friendships and work. For those who keep walking in the “way of God, will find that, “Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Isaiah 35:10
So let’s end where we started today. Take a deep breath. Stop and thank God that you’re still breathing. Thank him for noticing your sighing and not looking the other way. Write out or speak about what’s causing your sighs these days. Let the Spirit then speak and pray for you after that.
Then wait for his response while enjoying the calm and peace of His Word, His presence and provision. He hasn’t missed your struggles.
And then go do something good, kind and/or productive for someone else. You’re not stuck so don’t live that way. Remember, the Spirit is praying for you.l. Take a breath. That should keep you from getting SIGHedtracked.
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