Building You Up Not Tearing You Down
To make a point, please allow me to share with you a few details about what I remember learning about tree growth, muscle growth, bone strength and bone repair after a break.
You have probably seen small trees planted at new landscaping projects with guy wires holding them upright. Trees that cannot sway in the wind grow up weak. The wind causes microfractures to occur in tree cellular structure. The resulting healing fills in the damaged areas making trees stronger.
The same goes for muscles and bones. Muscles that bear weight get tiny little tears in the muscle fibers. The body fills in these damaged areas resulting in building muscle mass. So, those bodybuilders with the big muscles have gone through a lot of tearing and filling in. Bone density increases when microfractures occur as bones are subjected to stressors, such as weightlifting. The little microfractures fill in with strong bone.
Even a broken bone gets an interesting repair completed by the body. The break mends together and the bone actually overgrows in the broken area. Then a built-in body mechanism dissolves some of the overgrowth of bone. I kind of see it like welding a broken piece of metal back together and then grinding back the excess weld.
In nature, stress makes living things stronger. Even a broken bone is naturally mended to be stronger.
It is also interesting that the Apostle Paul spoke of how we will be without excuse when we stand in front of God, because nature itself reveals Him! In Romans 1:20 (ISV) Pauls says, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been understood and observed by what he made, so that people are without excuse.” Nature itself reveals a lot of spiritual truths. Another truth revealed in nature is about the mending of brokenness and the good result that can come from stressors.
The key, however, is life. A dead tree will not mend microfractures in its cellular structure when pummeled by the wind or even swaying in a summer breeze. Muscles and bones of human beings will not grow or repair if there is no life in the body. Life is needed for mending and growth.
If you are stressed or feel broken, your life in Jesus is the growth and mending you need.
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV), “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”