The Deep Sigh

By: Carole L. Haines

⁵ The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.
⁶ The measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, my inheritance is beautiful to me.
⁷ I will bless the Lord who has advised me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
⁸ I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.
(Psalm 16:5-9 NASB)

I find that there are several kinds of sighs. A sigh is defined as “to take a deep audible breath (as in weariness or relief).” (Merriam-Webster) Sighs are often involuntary reactions to things happening in or around us. There are sighs of exasperation, those of relief, sighs of frustration, those of comfort and peace. There are shallow sighs resolution or deep sighs of regret. So many reasons to let out a sigh.

The sighs I have been finding myself releasing lately are the deep sighs. Long, releasing sighs, letting my breaths out slowly. It’s a reflexive response to my contentment, and new-found peace. It’s a mark of gratitude for God’s goodness to me, His precious kindness in revealing weakness. It’s a resignation to security, and reflection on the God who never fails, even in the light of so many apparent failures of my own.

I have stepped away from something I was pursuing full on for awhile. I am so much more at ease. I still have two particular projects on the back burners that I am working on, but for now I sensed that I just need to shift focus to getting back into a closer relationship with God Himself. It’s like a famous quote:

“If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it’s yours; if it doesn’t it never really was.”
(Richard Bach)

I had been grasping and holding this childhood dream so close to my chest, afraid for even God to rip it out of my arms. But over time, and with experience, I realized that I needed to loosen my grip and let it fall, letting God take it from me and make of it whatever He wished. So much muscle fatigue left as I did that. Spiritual, mental and emotional fatigue is gone. I am breathing deeper and simply sitting here for longer times of fellowshipping with Him. Silence has become my wonderful companion. I just didn’t realize how much I was missing true fellowship with God. But a sense of His nearness is returning to me as I have let this dream go. One of my favorite Psalms ends like this:

Nevertheless, I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.
²⁴ You will guide me with Your plan, and afterward receive me to glory.
²⁵ Whom do I have in heaven but You? And with You, I desire nothing on earth.
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever. ²⁷ For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
²⁸ But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me;
I have made the Lord God my refuge, so that I may tell of all Your works.

(Psalm 73:23-28 NASB)
Is there anything God has been knocking at the door of your heart about? Why not take this time to release it into His mighty, loving hands. Let’s turn our quest into one of falling in love with God again.

“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement.”

— St. Augustine of Hippo