What Are You Resisting — and Why?

Our January theme at PCUU is Practicing Resistance—an invitation to explore not only how we push against the world, but also how we push against the forces within ourselves.

Anyone who has lived with a toddler in the “terrible twos,” or a teenager perfecting the art of the sigh, knows that resistance is a natural part of growing up. For children, resistance is often a doorway to independence: I can do it myself; I’m learning who I am. Even when challenging, these moments are milestones of growth.

Adults experience our own forms of resistance, too. As children and youth grow more capable, we may find they are ready to take on challenges faster than we are ready to step back. We resist their growing independence. We resist changes in our roles. We resist the truth that growth always requires us to shift, too. Sometimes letting go can feel harder than holding on.

These ordinary experiences hold a spiritual lesson: resistance is not always something to defeat. Sometimes it protects our integrity or reminds us what matters most. Other times, resistance keeps us stuck in fear or habit, long after it has served its purpose. This month, we are invited to notice our resistance with curiosity and compassion.

Which forms of resistance help us set boundaries and claim our values?

Which forms keep us from necessary change?

Where might practicing resistance mean standing firm—and where might it mean letting go?

Practicing resistance is not only about saying “no.” It is also about learning when to say “yes,” ask for help, or trust that loosening our grip doesn’t mean giving up. It is about responding with intention rather than reacting from fear.

We don’t have to figure this out alone. In community, we get to practice together—supporting one another as we build resilience, release old patterns, and model loving, grounded resistance in a world that needs both courage and compassion.

I look forward to practicing with you this month.

by Bridget Laflin, Interim DIrector of Faith Formation