You Are Mine, I Am Yours

Cladia Graf

MA, LPC

3/19/2024

We live in a hectic society and face different life demands, responsibilities, and pressures that keep us busy and occupied. This fast pace of life can negatively affect our spiritual and mental health. Times intentionally spent with God might be non-existent or short, with a quick, rushed prayer, letting God know about all our requests and needs. Most of us rarely take the time to slow down, soak in and enjoy God’s presence, and just be and listen to what he has to say to us. We must escape the noise and rush to connect, not just vent to him genuinely but also hear his still, small voice (1 Kg 19:12).

A fellow therapist told me about a great breathing and meditation technique that can help ease stress, anxiety, and depression and help us refocus our eyes back on God.

Sit back or lay down comfortably and take a deep breath using your total lung capacity, then slowly release the air. As you inhale, tell yourself the phrase ‘You are mine’ and as you exhale, ‘I am yours’. As you slowly do this exercise, meditate on what those phrases mean and listen to what God has to say to you about what he has to offer for your situation and what things you might be holding on to. If you are his child, He is yours with all his promises. He offers us his presence, love, peace, forgiveness, quietness, comfort, strength, hope, and much more. On the other hand, use the phrase ‘I am yours’ to deliberately surrender all the thoughts, emotions, worries, and anxieties that cloud your mind, weigh you down, and lay them at his feet. He will gladly take care of them and fill you up with his peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7). Enjoy trying out this exercise and find relief in surrendering yourself to him fully and be uplifted and encouraged by receiving all his good gifts.