Discovering what love is one day at a time
Have you noticed, our physical posture is not a position, but instead it is a dynamic pattern of reflexes, habits and adaptive responses to anything that resists us to being more or less upright & functional? Our posture can be submissive, or dominant, courageous or fearful, joyful or depressed, apathetic or uptight to name a few.
Interesting to note, we can imagine what each of those postures look like, and we can physically mimic them in our own bodies. I have recently been seeing a physical therapist to correct some of the postural habits that I have created in my body over time, due to gravity, past health issues and who knows what else… Patterns develop over time, and to change a habit, we have to have awareness. A bad habit is not unlike an addiction...most addictions come from the need to cover pain… The path of least resistance...masks the immediate pain, but creates a new problem over time. In order to gain freedom from an addiction or a habit, we have to see a need for change and in our minds know that we are not willing to keep doing the same thing. This proposed change presents a great challenge. That challenge can be quite uncomfortable and sometimes painful because the patterns and behaviors that lead to addiction or bad habits are usually strong... All this has just got me thinking about our posture in relationship with God…spiritually speaking. The Bible says that we all have an enemy, who comes to steal, kill and destroy. This enemy is Satan, and He is the enemy of our souls… But yet, God is for us and not against us, He died so that we might live...He has come that we might have life and have it to the full. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever should believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. So the enemy doesn’t want us to be upright and functional…In fact, he wants us bound in the extremes: unmoving, unchanging, living in our sin, and comfortable with it. But we have hope, because we believe in Jesus Christ, who is our living God. He has given us His Word, and His Word allows us to stand against the wiles of the enemy. For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ we are adopted into the family of God. We are Sons and Daughters of God, and He gives us His Holy Spirit, who is dynamic and always moving, teaching us, leading us, changing us and maturing us. The Holy Spirit, consistently and continuously challenges my patterns of thinking, feeling and deciding to show me where my path of least resistance has taken me. I have endless opportunities to respond to His great love for me. As I have spent time with the physical therapist, the recognition that changing my physical posture requires conscious attention, just as changing our spiritual posture does. But we are not in this alone. God in His great love for us provides us with the discipline of a perfect and Holy Father. All this brings to mind this particular passage of Scripture…. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood, And you have forgotten the word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son….Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and week knees. Make level paths for your feet so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”Hebrews 12:1-6, 10-12 WE are called to a posture of thankfulness, worship, reverence and awe. The amazing thing is that thankfulness, worship, reverence and awe, are gifts that I receive when I receive Him and His grace. He changes my posture, unlike the physical changes I have to purposely make at physical therapy. As I respond to Him, my posture becomes active, dynamic and moving, because He IS. We certainly can mimic what we think Christianity is supposed to look like… But truly, we must respond to His call for our spiritual posture to change. We must allow Him to discipline us, fully receiving His grace for any real change to happen.
1 Comment
Jamie
3/21/2017 07:17:17 am
I find that many times my core issue is… I have forgotten that I am a sinner… I have forgotten to allow the Lord in to take a look at my posture… To correct me, rebuke me, change me and mold me…good reminder sister...
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AuthorI have been married to my wonderful husband for 29 years. We have two young men ages 25 and 20.. This blog is somewhat of a journal and attempt for me to remind myself of my purpose and invite others to join me in keeping an eternal perspective as we move through each day. Archives
May 2023
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