'Holy hormesis!'
My wife Cathy recently shared some information with me that inspired these thoughts I share with you today. She told me about something called “hormesis”, which I had never heard of before.
Perhaps you already know about it, but if not, it simply is a word that describes how our bodies naturally produce positive and strengthening traits or immunities in our system as a result of physical stressors that we might consider negative. An example of this process is how the stress of exercise, fasting, hot/cold showers or other forms of physical stress actually strengthen the body in different ways.
She also went on to explain how she realized the same is true in our spiritual lives, as the stresses, trials and tribulations we face can actually be used to make us stronger in our faith, and how we live it out each day. And I thought, “Holy hormesis, what a beautiful way to understand how God wants us to view and respond to those stresses, trials and tribulations in our spiritual walk!”
And, of course, God has been trying His best to tell us this through his Word for centuries. For example, James 1:2-4: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
And how about 1 Peter 1:6-7: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
And finally, 2 Peter 1:5-8: “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“Holy hormesis!” How are you viewing and dealing with the stress, trials and tribulations in your life? Along with James and Peter (and the rest of God’s Word), I encourage you to “consider it pure joy” and to “greatly rejoice” in what GOD can do through the difficult things in our lives. As the Apostle Paul said, “in all these things God works together for the good” (Romans 8:28)! Rejoice in your “Holy hormesis” today!