Breathe: A 6-Day Plan to Transform Chaos to CalmSample

Day 2: Emotional Wellness

God Is Here

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” Psalm 46:1-3

As the psalmist describes the earth giving way, the mountains moving, the sea roaring—it provides an image of what our tremendous stress feels like as it comes at us from all different directions. But this scripture also reminds us of where our strength comes from.

God is Your Refuge at All Times

In times of pressure and change, we often push ourselves harder. But today let’s remember our refuge is in the unshakable God, the one who never leaves and is perfectly present.

God doesn’t turn away when we’re feeling paralyzed by worries and discouraged.

God turns toward us in times of emotional turmoil.

He sees you when you wake up feeling stuck behind a wall of worries and stress.

He feels the anxiety that grips your chest so badly you can hardly catch a breath.

In these moments, God draws you close. And God loves you.

The Stress Response: Fight, Flight, or Freeze

The human nervous system is activated not only by life-threatening events but also by daily stressors, such as work and parenting demands, family dysfunctions, bad traffic, or memories of past traumas.

When we experience stress, the body’s natural and God-designed reaction is to prepare to fight, flee to safety, or freeze. When the “fight-flight-freeze” response is activated, cortisol and adrenaline release into your system— your blood pressure soars, your breathing speeds up, your muscles tighten, jaw clenches, hands sweat, and your stomach tenses.

The cortisol and adrenaline flooding our systems to help us overcome adversity? Those same naturally released hormones also keep us from relaxing and sleeping. They put our bodies into constant hyper-alert mode.

The Rest and Relaxation Response

God designed a powerful counterbalancing force to combat the effects of the fight-flight-freeze response.

Relaxation isn’t accomplished by pushing through, ignoring the stress, or telling yourself to stop stressing by sheer willpower. Instead, when you take time to enjoy what gives you peace and joy, you activate a God-given, natural way to slow down and create a sense of calm and safety: the rest and relaxation response.

Breathe in Truth: Loosen Your Grip and Relax

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Be still. The Hebrew word for the command is raphah, which literally means “to loosen your grip” or “relax.”

Know. The Hebrew word is yada, which conveys knowledge that comes from “a personal experience.”

Be still and know doesn’t mean sitting around and doing nothing. It’s the opposite! Being still means personally experiencing God by doing whatever helps you to loosen your grip and relax. Sometime today, take an action that helps you experience what peace and joy feels like for you. It’s very unique to your personality, the way God made you. (Try small steps—like sipping different herbal teas and taking walks out among the trees.)

Scriptures for Day 2

Isaiah 41:10

1 John 4:18

James 4:8