By Erika Lloyd, LGMFT
Personal battles are not “one size fits all”, they look different for each of us. Whether you find yourself—like the woman at the well—empty and seeking fulfillment; like the disciples out at sea, restless and shaken by life’s storms; like Abraham and Sarah, impatient and discouraged by God’s timing; or like Job, with too many problems to count, and left with more questions than answers. Regardless of the weapons that the enemy uses against us, God equips us to fight our battles. King David, a warrior, shows us how we should fight.
Psalms 28:1-2 “To You, O LORD, I call, my rock, do not be deaf to me. For if you are silent to me, I will become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to YOU for help. When I lift up my hands toward your holy sanctuary.”
Psalm 63: 1-4 “In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus, I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see your power and your glory. Because your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in your name.”
Psalm 143: 3-6 “…the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead. Therefore, my spirit is overwhelmed within me. My heart is appalled within me. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all your doings; I muse on the work of your hands. I stretch out my hand to You; my soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah.”
A pattern that we see in each of these psalms is that during times of distress, anguish, and discouragement, David lifts his hands. There are numerous spiritual implications of one assuming this posture. Lifting one’s hands can be a sign of praise—communicating adoration and exaltation; a sign of surrender—acknowledging your weakness and God’s power; or a sign of dependence—as a young child lifts their hands as a plea to be lifted by their parents. David’s lifted hands can be seen as him petitioning God to elevate him over his circumstances.
In addition to these spiritual implications, there are also psychological benefits to one assuming this posture. The parasympathetic nervous system is the region responsible for relaxing our body after stress or danger is experienced or perceived. Our vagus nerve is the central part of the parasympathetic nervous system. It is responsible for the mind-body connection and is very sensitive to posture. From studies of the vagus nerve, we have learned that how we hold our bodies makes a difference in how we think, which impacts how we feel, and ultimately how we behave.
There are several ways that our body posture changes our brain and body’s chemistry. By lifting his hands, King David exhibited an expressive posture, which can increase testosterone levels and reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels, thereby improving positivity, memory, risk-taking and reducing anxiety. Conversely, constricted postures, such as slouching, can lead to depression and or unhappiness.
Constricted postures increase anxiety, partly because they restrict our breathing. There are two types of breathing: restful breathing and stressful breathing. Restful breathing entails deep breaths from the diaphragm; they tend to be slow and calming. Stress breathing tends to entail shallow breaths that are produced through the muscles in our neck and upper shoulders. We engage in stressful breathing when we are fighting or running from a threat or danger (this is a part of the stress response known as “fight or flight”). These shallow breaths signal our bodies to produce more cortisol to prepare our body for action in response to danger. This stress response is useful when fighting or fleeing from a physical threat, but we were never made to remain in this state for long. Over time, these higher cortisol levels can increase anxiety, depression, and lead to other mood changes and uncomfortable bodily responses.
In understanding the impact that our posture has on our mental, emotional, and physiological state, we can conclude that David began his healing process before his battle was even won, simply by assuming a posture of praise. Therefore, the next time you find yourself fighting through life’s challenges and your emotions begin to get out of hand, lift your hands and begin to experience the process of healing through praise.