Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10, NIV)
This is an essential golf tip that very few instructors discuss—learning to breathe. Proper breathing under pressure is foundational to remaining calm and relaxed to perform at your best.
I am not talking about breathing during the swing, but more importantly, breathing during the round to calm your nerves— a long, slow inhale through the nostrils and slowly exhaling out the mouth creates what the body needs to calm your nerves during a round of golf.
I learned this through experience, which worked wonders for me under pressure. I cannot explain why it didn’t work every time. Golf! Proper breathing is the sabbatical for the nervous system.
I am also learning that a sabbatical for our lives is necessary to live life to the fullest. It is not a good idea; it is a commandment from God. The definition of Sabbath means a day of religious observance and abstinence from work.
The real meaning goes much deeper than a religious observance; abstinence from worry and calmness and trust leads to worship and understanding who God is.
That understanding of who God is should take our breath away! Sabbath gives us time to worship in abundance with joy; it is not a legalistic obligation to abstain. It is an awareness that what we have been given is greater than anything we can give.
I have experienced this during those sacred few hours in the early morning when it is quiet and still as I breathe in God’s Word through prayer and listening. It gives me fuel for the day and hope for my life.
This sacred time should be cherished for what it is—time and communication with our Savior, the One who loves us most. It is a time to know Him personally and create a relationship that sustains in this world and will be consummated in the next.
Please hear me correctly. This is not a weird meditation or séance. We get busy during the day. We run and plan and try to create and even follow Him at times, but this quiet time with God is what we are built for.
We must have this time to know Him and discover where He wants to lead us. God cherishes this time as well. He loves spending time with His boys and girls. He wants to communicate. He wants us to know Him better. He smiles when we show up, take a deep breath, and ask Him for guidance.
Dr. Jim Denison sums this up so well: “If I came up to you and asked you what one thing is necessary, what would your response be? If I even asked you for the one thing Jesus says is necessary, what would your response have been? Jesus destroys my value system with two sentences: ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion which will not be taken from her.’
Allow that truth to settle in for a minute. One thing is necessary. One thing is required: to sit at the feet of Jesus. Above everything I could do for Him, He wants me to sit at His feet. Above providing for my family or serving My church, He wants me to sit at His feet.”
Take a deep breath. Only one thing is necessary.
Prayer – God, we find the good things in life originate in those quiet moments as we talk and listen to you. We want more.