Spirit that Gives Life

Two months ago I caught COVID-19, and I am still dealing with lingering symptoms. Yesterday I could only get a deep breath every few minutes, and my chest hurt from the effort. I had to rest a lot and walk slowly. This was still an improvement from the first weeks of illness when my chest was tight all the time and I struggled to breathe. I am grateful that I can breathe deeply today.

In the original languages of the Bible, the word for air or breath also means spirit: ruah in Hebrew and pneuma in Greek. I find that just as I need to breathe air to live, I also need God’s Spirit. Sometimes I struggle to live as God would want, and I don’t see the fruit of the spirit such as joy, patience, and generosity manifesting in my life (see Gal. 5:22). When I am out of breath or feel pain from breathing hard, I have to stop and rest. Likewise, when I start to get irritable, lonely, or self-centered, I need to take a break from the busyness of daily life and rejuvenate my spirit by spending time with God who sustains me.