Mind Your Posture

I walked by a large mirror and saw my reflection. Yikes! I was walking with my shoulders slumped! Immediately, I put my shoulders back with an attitude and said to myself: “You won’t be a slumper!” I went to my chiropractor that morning for an adjustment and I said: “Doc, I saw myself in a mirror and I was slumping bad. Help!” He replied: “I have just the thing for you!” He asked his assistant to bring him a “Posture Medic” (seen here). Then he guided me through the exercises I would do with it as well as the amount of time I should wear it daily. I followed his orders. Today is my fourth day. I feel like I’m already seeing results!

My Mom was always on the lookout for me to have good posture. If she were standing behind me, she would pull my shoulders back. 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 know 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. Not only does “posture” mean the position someone holds their body when standing or sitting, it also means an approach or attitude, point of view, or frame of mind.

In these 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 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 which 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 expectancy and hope. 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, for goodness sake, 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.”