The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:4 ESV
This past week, hazardous air quality caused by Canadian wildfires forced everyone indoors in hopes of finding clean air to breathe. Overcooked outside air burned our nostrils. Scratchy throats, watery eyes, and shallow breath limited all outdoor activity for several days.
It didn’t take air quality alerts to tell us that there was a problem. The sky was painted in various shades of hazy orange, and the moon was so deeply red-orange that it appeared to be burning.
We take our fresh air for granted. We expect to inhale deeply and fill our lungs with fresh, life-giving breath. When we’re surrounded by “clean” air, it’s easy to forget that in other parts of the world, many do not enjoy the same standard of air quality that we take for granted here in the U.S.
Contaminated air is not always so considerate to arrive with color-stained fog, an acrid smell, or a painted moon.
My daddy worked for the railroad for 40+ years. For many of those years, the clean outdoor air he and his fellow workers breathed as they worked the railroad yards and, in the trains, turned out not to be so clean and healthy after all.
The “magic mineral,” as asbestos was called because of its remarkable resistance to heat, fire, and friction, made it a perfect material for use in the construction of railway cars and their many parts and pieces. Fire-resistant and impervious to heat, asbestos was the “go-to solution for insulating nearly every hot component” of a train.[i]
It wasn’t until the 1980s that it became apparent that prolonged exposure to asbestos-contaminated air could cause cancer (mesothelioma) and other lung-related issues. Daddy didn’t develop cancer, but his lungs were permanently damaged – he suffered for years with pleurisy.
Thinking about this week’s air quality warnings, I’ve given thought to the quality of my “spiritual air.”
Sure, there are times when the spiritual air is so heavy and toxic, you have no doubt you are walking through “contaminated air.” Here’s an example that stands out in my memories:
I remember years ago walking down Bourbon Street in New Orleans with co-workers after a long day in meetings. I had no doubt that I was walking on unholy ground – the sights, the sounds, and the smells all screamed that this was not where I belonged. The air was toxic, and the warning was clear: “Stay here, and you’ll be breathing in contaminated air.”
I wish I could say that I fled the scene immediately; I did not. That was one of many times I foolishly chose to breathe in unholy air. Left unconfessed and without true sorrow and repentance, that contaminated air could have done as much spiritual damage as the asbestos physically did in the lungs and lives of hundreds of thousands over the decades.
Here’s a recent example of good “spiritual air.” Less than two weeks ago, I attended a Christian writers conference on the west side of Michigan. It was my fifth year attending, so I knew what to expect—and my expectations were high.
From the moment I stepped into Calvin College’s Prince Center and was greeted by the women busily setting up for the three hundred women that would be arriving over the next 24-hours, I knew I was with God’s people. The air itself was Spirit-filled. God’s presence reigned, and the sense of His presence grew with each group of women (and the few men) that arrived.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! Psalm 150:6 ESV
Over the following three days of praise, worship, Spirit-filled messages from surrendered hearts, instruction in using our God-given gifts for His glory, and fellowship from early morning until late evening, the spiritual air – the entire atmosphere – was off the charts. We inhaled deeply, filling our lungs with the rich air that filled that sacred space.
Sacred not because it was a Christian college. Sacred because it was filled with Christ-followers whose hearts are ablaze to serve and honor our Holy God.
I realize these two examples are extremes. And the truth is we don’t live in the extremes; we live in the mundane. Everyday routines, with the ups and downs of daily life, fill our existence. Routines that allow us to wisely choose the quality of the air that we will breathe or foolishly squander our God-given opportunities to choose well and breathe deeply.
What are you breathing in? Life-giving breath or tainted air that fills your lungs with poisonous, cancer-causing gases?
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or have a career outside of your home or if you’re retired; you will make choices every day that will affect your air quality.
Will you begin your day with Scripture and prayer?
Will you think on God’s truths as you go through your day?
Will you look for God’s activity in your life?
Will you be intentional as you interact with others, knowing that you can be a breath of fresh air that encourages, honestly cares, and spreads God’s love and goodness as you walk through everyday life?
Will you allow God’s Holy Spirit to surround and fill you with the holy breath of His Holy presence?
Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations. Isaiah 42:5-6 ESV
[i] “Railroad Workers Exposed To Asbestos Prior to 1982,” Sammons & Berry, P.C. Attorneys at Law, 1/9/2026, https://railroadasbestosclaims.com/blog/railroad-workers-exposed-to-asbestos-prior-to-1982.