Mind Your Posture

My word for today is “posture”: the position isomeone holds their body when standing or sitting; an approach or attitude, point of view, frame of mind.

My Mom was always on the lookout for me to have good posture. She’d be standing behind me and would take her hands and pull back my shoulders. After all, she wanted to spare me of later issues of slumped shoulders that could result in chronic bad posture. To this day, I hear my Mama’s voice “Hold your shoulders back!”

I realize that there are those who have physical issues that keep them from an erect posture, but for the rest of us, we can strive for good posture as we train our bodies to stand, walk, sit and lie in positions where the least strain is placed on our supporting muscles and ligaments. Proper posture keeps our bones and joints in correct alignment. It also prevents backaches, joint pain, headaches, fatigue and muscular pain, and above all, it just makes us look better to be standing and sitting erect.

Good posture can be taken a step further because quite often our inward POSTURE of faith needs straightening up. In these days and times, we can assume a “slouchy” posture by complaining, worrying, having negative attitudes and thinking. Instead of radiating a posture of hope and positivity, we side in with the negative voices and attitudes.

I had the opportunity to pray with a sweet woman last week, who was living in a state of depression and had taken the POSTURE of chronic sadness. She refused to be joyful – no matter how much her family encouraged and supported her. Her mother had passed away two years before and that caused her posture (frame of mind) to be hopeless. After we prayed together, a big smile came across her face and immediately her POSTURE changed to HOPE and expectancy. Visibly, she had a change of mind, heart and POSTURE.

Wonderful Holy Spirit took my Mom’s place as I daily hear Him say “Donna, stop slouching. Change your posture to trust, hope, belief, joy-filled, hope-filled and STAND UP straight.” When Jesus was about to ascend to heaven, He promised us the Holy Spirit Who would be our comforter, advocate, counselor. He is all that and more to me.

If we will purpose to choose to maintain an inward posture of faith and hope, the grace of God will intervene in every area of our lives, and we will walk and stand erect in the victory that was promised to us. I’m purposing to work on my outward AND inward posture. How about you?

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Romans 5:5: “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”