Several years ago, my husband, Bill, saw an article on improving one’s immune system and general health with some daily deep breathing exercises and cold showers. (This is probably related to the practice of “cold plunges,” but it’s not the same.) The breathing exercises did not become a habit for me, but the showers did, in a modified way. The controls on my shower don’t work properly, and so I can’t actually take a cold shower. But I can get in the shower before it has warmed up and experience cold water for 30 seconds before it gradually turns warm. Every summer, from May to September, I try to do this. It has affected me in a number of ways. First, I find myself putting off my shower because it is a bit daunting to get into a cold shower! But, more positively, I find myself thanking God when the warm water begins, recognizing it is a privilege to have a warm shower. Third, I do feel invigorated and I have grown in toughness to face the discomfort. But also, I have conserved water that I would have just let run down the drain while I waited for it to warm up.
Recently, the New York Times published an article about the alarming rate of depletion of groundwater in the US (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/29/climate/groundwater-aquifer-overuse-investigation-takeaways.html). Up until recently, we have been blessed with abundant groundwater in the Northeast. But that is changing and I found it very distressing. There are many alarming trends in the US and in the world, which are products of human behavior. Another example – I am dismayed to think of the mountains of recycling which are not being recycled, but even more distressed to know that a big part of the problem is human behavior. In many European countries, trash and recycling programs are strictly enforced and operate smoothly. Why are we Americans generally so inept and so undisciplined about trash and recycling and composting? That makes me discouraged about the prospect of big changes in water use behavior, in order to allow our groundwater to replenish.
Ultimately, I don’t believe we humans have the capacity to save our planet, but I believe God appointed us as stewards of it (Genesis 1-2). We Christians should be known for good stewardship, not just of our own belongings, but also of the environment we all share. That doesn’t mean I think we should all take cold showers. I think we could each look at our habits to see if there are any we could make less wasteful. Every little bit of conservation or clean up adds up to improve the environment. And the other benefit is strengthening our own ability to do hard things, whether it is saying no to our desires, enduring discomfort and deprivation, or growing in appreciation for blessings like warm water. 2 Timothy 2:1-7 talks about being strong, disentangling from “everyday life,” training to compete and working hard for future productivity. Right in the middle, Paul writes to Timothy, “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:3, NASB) It’s biblical to prepare for hard times, and also to anticipate that harder times are coming. I can tell as I have grown older that I have become less physically hardy, needing more “creature comforts” than I used to need. I think young people should be sensitive to the increasing physical frailty of their elders. But I also must still apply this verse to myself. My cold showers are just one way I push against that result of aging in a time and place where I haven’t had to think about this before. May we all think of ways to grow stronger, before we have to. So many people are already enduring unimaginable hardship. Can I?