In my last post, I talked about the vital importance of Divine Partnership in navigating darkness. But how do you actually live that out? It’s one thing to say “I am one with God,” and another to feel it when you’re stuck in traffic or frustrated with the news. I promise that by using two simple tools, Words and Works, and by embracing the spiritual practice of stretching, you can break through resistance to make your partnership with the Divine a tangible reality.
The fact is, change is hard. Even when you want to up-level your faith, you bump up against your own ego and the “status quo.” You become what the Bible calls “stiff-necked” or “hard-hearted.” You get set in your ways, resistant to new ideas, and closed off to the promptings of the Spirit. Miracles and change are possible with Divine Partnership.
But before the fullness of change can occur, a common myth needs to be dispelled.
The Myth of the Static Soul
A common myth is that spiritual practice looks only like sitting quietly in a pew or reading scripture. This is separation of the “holy” from the “physical.” You might think stretching is just for the gym and creativity is just for artists. But your body and soul are connected. Stiffness in the body often mirrors stiffness in the spirit.
You cannot be an apostle of change if you are physically and spiritually rigid.
Stretching into the Miraculous
I decided recently to take on a new practice: the spiritual discipline of stretching my body. It sounds simple, but I realized that to “stretch” spiritually means to grapple with new ideas and push outside comfort zones.
As I reincorporated daily stretching, something interesting happened. Not only did my stiff neck loosen, but the hard-heartedness that had crept into my life softened, too. I began to yearn for creativity. I started attending musicals, symphonies, and art exhibits. Sure, I had enjoyed these things before, but never craved them. I even undertook a creative project with a friend.
This newfound openness became a lifeline when my mom passed away. Because I had “stretched” myself open spiritually, I was able to receive the compassion of new friends and offer deeper compassion to others. By loosening my grip on the status quo, I allowed God to reinvent me from the inside out.
Words and Works
Here are two practical ways to move from disciple to apostle using the tools of Divine Partnership.
- Words: Say It and Make It So
Words have creative power. God, for the ultimate example, spoke the world into existence. The practice here is to address yourself in the third person. Instead of “I am one with God,” say, “Rebekah, you and God are one.” (Insert your own name!)
Science shows that third-person self-talk helps detach you from your ego and emotional regulation. It gets you out of your head, the headquarter of fear, and into the miraculous faith-filled space in your heart.
- Works: Do It and Make It So
You often think your good works are things you do for God. The shift I want you to make is to think of your good works as things that arise from your oneness with God. Make a list of the good works you’ve done. Kindness to a stranger, standing up for justice, or helping a neighbor are good examples.
Celebrate them as evidence of your collaboration with the Divine. You couldn’t have done them without that spark.
Dos and Don’ts
- Do talk to yourself in the third person (e.g., “Jane, you are one with God”) to bypass your ego’s doubts.
- Do celebrate your good deeds as proof of God working through you.
- Do stretch your body to help soften your heart and open your mind to new ideas.
- Don’t limit spiritual practice to just prayer; treat caring for your body (stretching, sleep, proper nourishment) as holy work.
- Don’t self-sabotage by denying yourself basic self-support like new experiences or creative outlets.
- Don’t cling to being “stiff-necked” or set in your ways; rigidity blocks the miraculous.
Next Steps/Takeaways
Believing in your Divine Partnership is active. It requires you to stretch, literally and figuratively. When you do, mountains move, and the world becomes a brighter place.
Use your words to name your truth. Use your works to demonstrate it.
Practice: This week, commit to a daily physical stretch. As you reach, ask God to stretch your heart and mind along with your body.
To learn how to fully manifest this partnership in your life, I invite you to register for my upcoming spiritual retreat: Epiphany: Manifesting the Miraculous. This is your invitation to stop treading water in the status quo. If you want a deeper personal partnership with God, you have to be willing to stretch into it.
Join me, and let’s practice the spiritual disciplines that will loosen your stiff neck, soften your heart, and prepare you to co-create miracles with God.
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Thanks for your comments. I am having to stretch physically since I had internal surgery recently. I could use prayer for continued healing and come to grips with current limitations that frustrate the active person inside of me. I do love the idea of stretching in both directions and hope I can do that.