Christian Mysticism

Breathe 

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.  

John 14:27 

(This is excerpted and blended from the first devotional in Big Deep Breath which is available in the TREXO store or on Amazon.) 

What is Christian mysticism? Because the word “mystic” is not in the Bible we can’t look to an agreed upon source for a definition. So, take these definitions loosely, I got them from the internet. 

1. Belief that union with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or the spiritual apprehension of knowledge inaccessible to the intellect, may be attained through contemplation and self-surrender. – “St. Theresa’s writings were part of the tradition of Christian mysticism” 
2. Belief characterized by self-delusion or dreamy confusion of thought, especially when based on the assumption of occult qualities or mysterious agencies. – “there is a hint of New Age mysticism in the show’s title”¹  

Haha…look at the contrast. Absorbing into the Deity through contemplation or self-delusion. What is that? That’s a heckuva spectrum! 

I choose to invoke Christian mysticism to explain encounters I have with the Living God that surpass intellect. Because of His magnitude, there is so much about Him that cannot be explained. There are experiences available to us that surpass rationalism. When I pray or read the Bible or meditate in the car, I can be brought into ecstatic experiences where I encounter some degree of the Holy One’s presence.  

This, for me, is mysticism. I hope, truly, truly hope, for you, that you experience some degree of mystery as you seek to draw into the Divine. There is just no way to explain the fullness of life in Him.  

But, as we see in John 14:27, Jesus never intended our mysticism to be impractical. It is not as if we have these mystical encounters and then we leave them to go pay the bills or do our jobs or raise our kids. Jesus’s mysticism is very pragmatic. And one of the places where His mysticism manifests is in our experience of His peace daily in our lives. 

Jesus offers us a heart filled with peace. Peace, for Jesus, is the quiet calm that comes from resting in and trusting the faithfulness of God our Father to provide all our needs. In the perfect hands of our Father, what do we have to fear or be troubled by?  

When we fill our hearts with the promised peace of Jesus, we will breathe deeply. The depth, or lack of depth, of our breathing can help us know if we are genuinely experiencing Jesus’ promise. Deep breathing is a meaningful part of our faith. When we are right in the Lord, our breathing will be affected.  

Jesus and His disciples were on a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee. A fierce wind approached, causing waves to break over the boat. Jesus slept peacefully. Anticipating their death, the disciples woke Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38). Can you imagine the difference in their breathing? The same storm. Same boat. Same lake. Jesus, in faith, breathing deeply. The disciples, in fear, breathing sharply. Jesus rouses, rebuked the storm, and said to the disciples, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).  

Often, we can measure the depth of our faith by the depth of our breathing.  

But we do not have to be in a life-threatening storm to shorten our breathing. We can easily forget the love and faithfulness of our Father in more mundane, daily needs. When we lose focus on Him, we begin to feel the responsibility and pressure of life squeeze and tighten. Breath shortens and quickens.  

You should learn to listen to your breathing.  

Use these daily devotions to remind you of the invitation to rest in the love and faithfulness of God your Father. Powerful words of truth that can nourish your confidence to follow Jesus will fill each day’s reading.  

At this moment, how is your breathing? What is active in your heart or mind that keeps you from experiencing the promised peace of Jesus? Surrender the issue(s) to your Father, feel the pressure release, and enjoy His love! 

Breathe deeply today understanding the connection between your breath and your faith. 

REFLECTION 

Psalm 16:7-11. What kind of effect does the Psalmist experience by meditating on God’s faithfulness? How does his dependence speak to your need to depend?  

Matthew 11:28-30. What do you need to learn from Jesus so that you can rest? How would His rest affect your breathing? 

1. [1] https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=592538007&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS838US838&sxsrf=AM9HkKmigdqpy-6o78-CHkw3r59LOuNL7A:170¹3085325784&q=mysticism&si=ALGXSlYl_e3TsZvERASNGAvnwCgjnab41_fgpWR3FRVlfTA9E3UO8Yifp7QNHKDYZq5S4EvFKrsR1aJBSMpnVPIRoKkqQ-Br3Hh6wLCNQ_DraKl6HSCmcqo%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwis7vWep56DAxUTCjQIHRChBpwQ2v4IegQIDxAW&biw=1536&bih=730&dpr=1.25 ↩︎