The University of Arizona owns a biosphere that allows scientists to study how plants grow in a controlled environment. One of the first observations they made was that trees grow much faster in the biosphere than they do in the wild. But they also found that the trees in the biosphere collapsed before reaching full maturity.

After some study, they determined that their instability was due to a lack of wind. Wind puts stress on a tree, and the tree compensates for that stress by becoming sturdier. 

I’m not sure what the human equivalent of a biosphere is, but if we all had our wish, I’m sure we would prefer a controlled environment where everything went our way. But that kind of place doesn’t exist in this world. There are plenty of things that will stress your mind, heart, and body.

But that’s a good thing.

Just like trees need a healthy amount of wind to make them strong, we need a healthy amount of stress to make us resilient. Here’s how Paul talks about it in Romans:

“We boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (5:2-4).

Today, like every day, you will encounter some stress. Ask God to accompany you through it so that he can shape and strengthen you through it.