Divine resistance

The protection you didn't know you needed

Not all resistance is meant to be dissolved. Not all resistance is meant to be wrestled down to the ground. Not all resistance is a sign that you don’t want it ‘bad’ enough or that there is a boss level shadow material that you haven’t illuminated and integrated yet. Not all resistance points to a lack of will and dedication.

If you’ve read some of my work around resistance, you probably know that I talk a lot about resistance being an invitation for deeper integration. It’s an invitation to meet the parts of you that say ‘no’ in the shadow so that you may reconcile with these aspects and go toward what you desire with a unified will.

Well, that approach is still relevant. It is actually the foundation to deal with most forms of resistance, at least in my opinion (PS: this Sunday I am hosting a free live workshop: the alchemy of resistance. Find more details and save your free spot here.).

With that said, there is a unique form of resistance that requires no dissolving. It requires no transmutation or alchemy. Why? Well, because it is not the doing of any shadow material. It is not the doing of any repressed pain that needs to be felt or a fear that needs to be faced. It is the doing of your higher Self and your intuition. I tend to refer to it as divine resistance.

That type of resistance needs to be honored. It is intuitive guidance and gut feeling in disguise.

Understanding divine resistance

Have you ever had one of these situations where you are on a rush to go somewhere but everything seems to be lined up against you? You despise the thought of getting late to an appointment for example, but that day you seem to be a bit more disorganized and forgetful than usual. You even start getting frustrated with yourself. You jump in your car and start driving frantically to where you need to go, but you keep going through hiccups on the way… All the lights seem to turn red just when you approach. There is a novice driver in front of you who slows you down, but you are in an area where you can’t pass them safely. Let’s assume that you were driving on the highway to get to an important appointment and in a moment of inattention, you missed the exit you needed to take. Of course that deepened your frustration.

That mishap forced you to take a totally different road to get to your destination. You arrive a few minutes late, rushed, frustrated, defeated, but you still made it. To your surprise, the person you were supposed to meet is not there yet. A few minutes later, that person walks in feeling a bit shattered yet relieved to see you. That person then proceeds to tell you that they just witnessed a horrible accident around the exit you wanted to take on the highway, and that they were afraid you were in the accident.

That situations may be interpreted in many different ways. I choose to see this way: the resistance you experienced, was your highest guidance working over time to keep you safe. This is an example of divine resistance.

Have you experienced anything similar? In my opinion, this happens more often than we even notice.

That’s why I often say:

if you pray for protection, do not be surprised if the answer you receive at times is resistance. A divine resistance.

My invitation to you is to assume that even in what feels like the worst cases of inner resistance, there is a benevolent divine intent that is working in your favor.

Divine resistance looks like a push back from life at first glance, whereas in fact, it is a divine intervention. It often happens when going for what you think you want would not be in your highest good.

I assume the burning question you might have in your mind now is: how do you know? How do you know that what you are experiencing might be a divine resistance? I am not sure if there is a black and white answer to that question. But you’ll find below what often works for me.

A rule of thumb that serves me well…

1. When things don’t seem to work out despite your honest efforts. That’s a sign that there must be some sort of divine resistance at play. This often requires that you allow things to unfold at their pace or that you re-evaluate your direction.

2. When you are operating according to other people’s values. Resistance may come up when you are out of tune with your own values. This often shows up as shoulds that your inner critic then uses to lash out at you. When your conditioning is running the show, you may experience a form of resistance that is an invitation to be brave enough to honor your heart and inner knowingness.

3. When you are ignoring red flags or when your wounding overrides your intuition. Resistance is often your intuition wanting to make you conscious of something you are unaware of. Imagine that you just started meeting a potential romantic partner and there is great chemistry between you both. But you keep having a sense that there is something off. Because of the great chemistry and infatuation, you want it to work so much… But as you decide to honor the inner nudge and to take your time, that potential partner starts to reveal traits that turn out to be big no-no’s for you.

These are just a few examples. Of course in any case, resistance is something that needs to be romanced. It doesn’t always need to be transmuted or transcended. Sometimes it just needs to be honored. Do you agree?

Have you experienced any form of divine resistance before? I’d love to read your shares in the comment section below.

---

PS: This Sunday July 14th at 1pm ET, I am hosting a free community live workshop called the alchemy of resistance. Join me on a journey to dissolve resistance, create inner coherence, and unleash your heart. Save your free spot HERE.

---

In gratitude and reverence,

— Xavier