Hormesis: Joy in Pain and Suffering
Hormesis is a word that describes how brief periods of stress can lead to benefit from adaptation to the stress. This is a relatively new concept in science but is an ancient concept in religion and spirituality. There is a rich science demonstrating that brief periods of exercise, fasting, heat exposure, cold exposure, etc induces beneficial changes to the body that make it more resilient and stronger. These stressors lead to the triggering of cellular repair mechanisms, enhancing antioxidant defenses, and increasing resistance to future, more severe stress. This is the physiological basis for exercise training, cold plunges and intermittent fasting. The human body is remarkable in the fact that it responds and adapts to the environment or what we put it through. However, this requires us to experience and endure periods of stress, pain and sometimes sorrow.
The Science of Stress Adaptation
This concept reaches far beyond our physical adaptation allowing our physical bodies to become stronger and more resilient. It is written in scripture that we should find joy in suffering. The human experience comes with pain, suffering and sorrow. Most people live in fear of experiencing pain, suffering and sorrow and take steps to intentionally avoid it. But what if that is what allows us to grow, improve, become better physically, emotionally and spiritually? One Bible verse that questions why there is suffering in John 9:2-3. When the disciples asked if the man or his parents sinned, Jesus answered: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him”. We can all agree that being born blind is not a “brief” period of stress but a lifetime of constant adaptation. Pain and suffering can be an opportunity to see and experience God’s grace.
Beyond Physical: Finding Joy in Spiritual Suffering
Personally, I have found that growth only comes from being uncomfortable. Yet most people work to be comfortable, free of stress and become complacent. Coming out of the season of Lent, I have taken the last 40 days to reflect on my life, the good, the bad and the ugly. I realized there were times of extreme pain, sorrow and suffering. I recall times when I did not know how to proceed and certainly could not understand why these bad things were happening to me. Then I realized I am who I am and where I am today because of all the events in my past, including the really trying times. The most stressful times in my life prepared me to be better equipped and adapted to deal with future stress but with less stress and anxiety. The events that all humans fear most such as death a child, divorce, financial hardship, being sued, being ridiculed, life being threatened, fear of failure, loneliness, isolation and feeling abandoned, I have experienced and survived. Not only did I survive all of those, I realize each of those events made me stronger, more resilient and led me to a stronger and closer relationship with God. Although I never understood the concept of finding joy in pain and sorrow, I have found joy in all my sorrows. Joy is not the absence of suffering, but rather the presence of God. It is only with a personal relationship with God that we can endure suffering, find meaning in suffering and eventually find joy. Humans cannot avoid pain and suffering. It is part of our human experience. However, please consider that all things happen for a reason and it is not our job to question why but to appropriately respond. It is not what happens to us that matters, it is how we respond to what happens to us. Bad things do not happen to us; they happen FOR us. This is spiritual and emotional hormesis.
The Daily Practice of Intentional Stress
Maybe I am a slow learner because it took me nearly 50 years to understand this. With this revelation and epiphany, I have realized I can deal with the stresses of this world more appropriately. I also realized that my daily routine of intermittent fasting, working out, sauna, cold plunge, stretching and 5 minutes planks are all physical stresses I intentionally put my body through, so my body becomes stronger. I intentionally experience brief periods of physical pain and suffering to lead to the adaptive effects. I also realized that my daily prayer, reading scripture, meditation and growing closer to God has allowed me to find joy in pain, suffering and sorrow. I certainly do not intentionally seek out emotional pain but life provides it without effort.
I look back and realize nearly all my monthly blogs are focused on nitric oxide and providing you all with science and education on how important this molecule is for our health. However, if we are not in a good place emotionally and spiritually, our physical health suffers and nitric oxide cannot and will not fix that. This month I invite you all to take an in-depth look inside and seek where you may be spiritually deficient. The two most important dates in life are the day you were born and the day you realize WHY you were born. Without a frequent conversation with your Creator, you will likely never experience the latter. Change your perspective, change your life. Wake up each day with gratitude and a servant’s heart. Make time to pray and meditate, no matter your faith or religion. Realize you may be experiencing spiritual hormesis in the tough times and you are being made stronger for it. Remember growth comes from being uncomfortable. If you need assistance with guided prayer and meditation, I recommend the Hallow App.
You can find my nitric oxide products at www.n1o1.com. Use coupon code NSB10 for a discount.
About Dr. Nathan S. Bryan
Dr. Nathan S. Bryan is a biochemist and physiologist that has more than 25 years of basic science and clinical research. His many seminal discoveries have resulted in dozens of issued U.S. and International patents. He is an international expert in nitric oxide and molecular medicine. Dr. Bryan is an innovator and successful entrepreneur whose product technology is based on his discoveries to restore nitric oxide production and signaling. This content is not intended to replace medical advice from a physician.
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