This Faith Practice Rewires Your Brain — Here’s How
By Movieguide® Contributor
A renewed mind isn’t just biblical; it’s neuroscience. Dr. Alan Weissenbacher discussed this on the “Jesus Calling” podcast.
“How can you be transformed by the renewing of your mind?” he began, citing Romas 12:2. “How can you take every thought captive? Are you imagining good things? Are you imagining doing the right things? Are you imagining responding correctly, as Jesus would, when temptation faces you?”
Weissenbacher explained how the human brain physically changes based on situations we are put in.
He said, “That changes your brain so that when those situations happen, when the curveball gets thrown at you, you find yourself in a tough situation, your brain will take the pathway that you trained in your imagination. Hopefully, it is the good one.”
Weissenbacher said that as much as we would like it to, willpower doesn’t work.
“Don’t be angry, or, don’t use alcohol, or, don’t eat that entire bag of peanut M&Ms…what are you thinking about? The anger, the anxiety, the alcohol, or the unhealthy food. And it is actually strengthening those pathways in your brain. And it makes it harder on yourself because you’re strengthening the pathways you don’t want.”
The answer, the scientist says, isn’t fighting the thoughts; it’s replacing them with better ones.
“Replacing unhealthy thoughts with healthy ones impacts the brain’s structure and function. Replace the problem thoughts with good ones, turning yourself in that direction. And then by focusing on the healthy things, you are training those paths in your brain. So when life throws you a curveball, your brain is going to take those instead of the negative ones.”
This pattern of thinking is actually mentioned in the Bible. God knew the answer to dealing with unwanted and negative thoughts ahead of time. Philippians 4:8 says, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.”
Prayer is a good way to think about good things.
“Prayer can influence the structure of your brain and how the brain is formed,” Weissenbacher said. “A prayer life can help strengthen the good pathways like a muscle. You want to strengthen the good neurons, the good paths. And through prayer and focusing on the things of the Lord, you are strengthening those pathways.”
