How’s Your Posture?

One of the occupational hazards of the writing-editing life is back and/or neck pain as a result of poor posture. We’re often sitting, hunched over a computer for long periods of time. Without our chair, desk, and computer properly aligned we’re prone to periodic discomfort or chronic pain. Not to mention eye strain if we forget to follow the 20-20-20- practice: every 20 minutes take 20 seconds to look at something at least 20 feet away. Share on X

Impaired mental posture also takes its toll. Writer’s block, fear, and procrastination all conspire to keep us from proper mental alignment and inhibit our productivity. Some of these misalignments can be corrected by developing our technical skills–brushing up on grammar, sentence structure, etc., But even successful writers battle mental misalignment from time to time.

And then there’s our spiritual posture. What’s our stance before our heavenly Father, the source of our creative desires and energy? I confess that mine ranges from a careless slouch—casually acknowledging God from afar as a friendly grandfather who will show up when I signal him, to a self-righteous erectness attempting to balance all the demands of life atop my own head and shoulders and expecting a “well done” for my independence and self-sufficiency.

God desires an intimate relationship with us and that requires a certain posture Share on X. He may get my attention in dramatic fashion, but he’s just as likely to speak to me in a still small voice. The ability to hear that voice requires a certain posture. It’s a wise teacher who lowers her voice get the classes’ attention. It’s a far more effective way to get students to listen than trying to speak above their noise. Students may even need to lean in and turn an ear in the direction of the teacher’s voice to be sure they hear. They need to set aside distractions and focus on the teacher.

As I open God’s Word and quiet myself in my prayer room, I need to lean in in anticipation and expectation. I need to keep my eyes wide open to the ways he is already at work in the world and in my life. And I need to adopt a heart posture of humble submission, leaning in expectantly to hear from the Teacher. It’s a divine posture adjustment and it’s essential to a well aligned life.  How’s your posture?