Holding Our Breath

February 28, 2024

The Hollywood film "Waiting to Exhale" (1995) is based on a novel by Terry McMillan. It's about upwardly mobile African American women and their relationships with married men. Each character has its own way of holding their breath until they land a relationship with a man who commits to them.

If we had the power to dream any dream we wished, and our life's dream came true, we would live what some call "our best life." Many of us dare not dream of our deepest desires because of the fear that they will never come true. Therefore, we never live our best life.

It is essential to define what our best life is. For some, it is the fulfillment of our ego's fantasies. For others, it's to exceed their highest expectations, but for others, it is the adventure of living a spiritual life. The potential drawback for some in living the "spiritually best life" is that we must accept its pain, problems, and all the cards dealt to us. The spiritual life is not our best life in terms of flawlessness, discomfort, failure, challenges, predictability, loss, and tragedy. It's only our best life in terms of hope, divine solutions, healing, and wholeness that are immediately brought into our suffering.

We might never exhale if we hold our breath for our ego's story to come true. Our unlived life awaits, but it will be short-lived if it must be a perfect fantasy. But if we have committed to growing consciousness and shedding the unchecked ego, we can begin the mystery of a faith-filled life and exhale right now!

Inquiry: Why would you not want to live your spiritually best life?

Dear God,

Your provision for our healing makes me trust the pain that comes with the spiritual life.

Amen

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