The Benefits of Nature
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“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." - Job 12:7-10
What Scripture Says
God's love story with us starts in a garden where He created us to have dominion and to lovingly steward what He created. Because we are designed to engage with nature, we benefit from the holistic healing effects of spending time outdoors. Most of the parables Jesus used to illustrate important truths involved nature: fields, birds, lilies, trees, mountains, and the sea. Scripture also tells us that Jesus “left the house and went out to a solitary place to pray” and “went out as usual” to the Mount of Olives to pray. There was no shortage of homes and temples in ancient times, but it was clear that the most profound encounters with God happened in nature, on top of mountains and in the middle of the sea. God also demonstrated various ways of using things from the natural world (water, dirt, animals, fire, rain, oil, and trees) to sanctify and give healing. Scripture reveals that these natural elements in the hands and presence of a great God are tools of divine intervention.
What Science Says
Even scientific research provides evidence that God created us to enjoy and flourish in nature. A January 2024 article from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health reminds us that spending time in nature contributes to better sleep, lower blood pressure, reduced risk of chronic disease, and lower mortality. Yet, despite the multiple physical, emotional, and mental benefits of spending time outdoors, most of us spend our days indoors—at home or elsewhere—working, shopping, worshiping, dining, and even exercising. Finding sustainable ways to implement increased time outdoors and exposure to fresh air, the sound of birds, and sunlight can help cultivate well being.
An Exercise
Here are some easy ways to help yourself engage with nature:
Simply savor a few minutes of sunshine throughout the day—have your coffee outside, take a phone call outside, or park your car at the end of the parking lot in order to walk a little longer.
Practice mindfulness exercises by using your five senses. Visually caress nature with your eyes, paying attention to the details and nuances of beauty that are often overlooked when we are rushing through our day. Listen to the multiple layers of sound near and far. Smell the air and notice whether there are any scents on the wind, whether the sun makes your surroundings smell warm, and how the humidity or dryness affects your ability to smell or taste. Touch something in nature as if you are feeling it for the first time in your life. Spend a few minutes with bare feet and experience the texture and temperature of the ground.
Get dirty! You don’t need a green thumb to enjoy the benefits of gardening. Start with one easy-to-care-for plant and check on it daily to provide it with what it needs: water, pruning, words of affirmation and gratitude for being so beautiful. Gardening helps us understand that simply existing and letting others take care of us is valuable. If you are a city dweller, you can garden in pots near a window. Tomato seedlings often grow well in such an environment.
Set your plans for an outdoor space instead of indoors. Take out food or get it delivered to your yard or a local park for a picnic. Have your team meeting outside. Plan an outdoor movie, game, or karaoke night. Buy chalk and play hangman or tic-tac-toe on the ground. Blow bubbles to make your boxed breathing exercises (see explanation below) more fun. Tweeze your eyebrows in natural sunlight in your yard. If you already do quiet time, do it outdoors.
Use your camera phone to re-explore and appreciate the local beauty of your natural environment. Start with taking one photo a day and share it with a different person each day.
Each one of us has unique challenges keeping us from the outdoors, but we pray that God will give you the strength, creativity, and opportunity to overcome them. May His breath give you life, and life to the fullest.
Explanation of Boxed Breathing Exercises:
Imagine a square. Breath in for one side of the square. Hold the breath for the second side of the square. Breath out for the third side of the square. Hold for the fourth side. Repeat.
Reference:Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “Time Spent In Nature Can Boost Physical and Mental Well-being,” January 2, 2024.