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Christian Posture

I've been working on my posture these past few weeks. In an effort to relieve pressure on my spine and postpone the reality of aging, I have been going to physical therapy. The first thing my therapist told me was that my bad posture was significantly contributing to my problem.

It wasn't just the simple matter of standing up straight. My muscles were sotight it made it hard for me to comply with my goal of good posture. After weeksof work my muscles loosened up a bit and my posture has improved, but not withouta great deal of effort. I became conscious of my posture when I was sitting orstanding, driving in the car. I had to regularly remind myself to hold my stomachin and up and my shoulders would fall in place. I had to get up from the computerand stretch on regular occasions—even when I was in the middle of a greatthought!

It takes thirty days to change a habit, so they say, but I'm finding it takingmore than thirty days for good posture to become mindless for me. Even now I'msitting properly and relaxing when I'm thinking of the next paragraph to write.As I have been doing the hard work of making my flesh begin to react in a waythat has been foreign to it for many years, I recognize that it is the same withmy spiritual life.

When I am in the presence of the Divine Therapist, He too can see my poor spiritualposture. My long life of pleasing my flesh, rather than His Spirit within me,has led me to some poor Christian posture habits. It just comes naturally tosnipe at my husband when he is interrupting what I am doing, rather than be selflessand respond in kindness. I think and say mean things when other drivers aren'tdoing what I would do on the highways of my life. I make a purchase without thinkingtoo far in the future or seeking God’s direction of how I could sacrificea little to give to a project He has in mind. I don't always move fast enoughgetting ready in the morning to save all the time I intended for focused communicationwith God. I often forget the Word He gave me for the day.

These issues are the symptoms of my poor Christian posture. Just like I am tryingto build my muscles to support my spine, rather, I need to change my mind tosupport my spiritual life. Paul describes this in Romans 8:5, Those who liveaccording to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires,but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds on what theSpirit desires.

Practicing the correct Christian Posture involves thinking about what the Spiritdesires, rather than thinking my own fleshly thoughts. If I want to practicehealthy spiritual posture, I will become aware of what I am thinking and startwondering what the Spirit thinks of my thoughts. It’s not easy to do believeme! I start out so well first thing in the morning, but even in the middle ofmy first prayer of the day I find myself lost in what I plan to eat for breakfast,or wondering if that important email has been answered yet.

It hasn't come naturally to change my posture, but at least I know how and amtrying to be more conscious of holding my stomach in and up. It’s evenharder to change my Christian posture, but at least I know that it involves asimilar action, becoming aware of what the Spirit desires.

 

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