Becoming Unstuck
Do you ever find yourself saying, “That person will never change”? Or flipping it internally and telling yourself, “I can never change”? There’s good news — people CAN change, and it’s all in how God designed us. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made”!
God has designed every part of our bodies, from the tiniest cells to the largest bone, including our brains. Our brains are amazing! They are capable of “neuroplasticity” (neuro – related to the brain, plasticity – ability to change and adapt without breaking). Amazingly, the apostle Paul taught about this topic thousands of years before the first MRI brain scan. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what the will of God is, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) Brain science proves that our brain is capable of learning new things over time and with practice. It’s very easy to say our ABCs forward because that neural pathway (the connections in our brains) has been practiced since we were toddlers. But saying the ABCs backwards is NOT a skill that most people have practiced, and as such, it’s much harder to say quickly. With time and practice, however, you’d be able to do this task. The human mind is capable of building new neural pathways or connections at any age. Thanks to God’s magnificent design, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
What’s so exciting about this is that we don’t need to be STUCK in our ways. We don’t need to be STUCK in a pattern of negative thinking. We don’t need to be STUCK in a loop of anxious thoughts. We don’t need to be STUCK repeating past sins. God has designed us to be able to reprogram our brains.
But how can we be “transformed by the renewal of our minds”? How can we reprogram our brains? This can be accomplished by practicing and training our minds. If we fill our minds with scripture, we can think about those things and not the worrisome, anxious loop that plays in our heads. Philippians 4:8 states, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
So, we need to find something true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, or worthy of praise and think about that. Ponder it. Meditate on it. Fill your mind with these thoughts, and over time, your brain can be trained to default to these neural pathways.
But how can we be “transformed by the renewal of our minds”? How can we reprogram our brains? This can be accomplished by practicing and training our minds. If we fill our minds with scripture, we can think about those things and not the worrisome, anxious loop that plays in our heads. Philippians 4:8 states, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
So, we need to find something true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, or worthy of praise and think about that. Ponder it. Meditate on it. Fill your mind with these thoughts, and over time, your brain can be trained to default to these neural pathways.
But, how? This sounds so simple, yet, as anyone who has tried to become UNSTUCK knows, it feels immensely difficult. The truth is, whenever we practice a neural pathway, it gets stronger. Every single time the ABCs are repeated, that connection gets stronger. Think of a well-worn hiking path that gets more and more established as more and more people walk on it. Immediate thoughts of fear and anxiety come first because that’s what our brain has practiced over and over. Being intentional about creating a new neural pathway will take time, effort, and practice. You’ll first need to acknowledge when you’re STUCK in that well-worn rut, and you’ll need to have something that you’d like to practice in its place. Remind yourself that the Bible repeatedly assures us that God is good, God cares for us, and God is trustworthy. Anxious thoughts often stem from a lack of belief in these truths at a particular moment. Finding a verse to memorize and meditate on is a great place to start. Continue to repeat that verse to yourself, and over time, a new pathway will get stronger and stronger. During this time of practice and pathway strengthening, ask the Holy Spirit to help this new neural pathway to take deep root in your heart, soul, and mind.
Developing new neural pathways doesn’t mean you’ll never have a negative, anxious, or sinful thought again. But it does mean you’re using the wonderful body that the Lord has blessed you with for His glory!
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Identify a verse that you would like to memorize to help create a new positive neural pathway. What is something that is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, or worthy of praise?
PRAYER
God, I thank You that You have made my body in such an amazing way. It is truly wonderfully made. Help me to honor You with all my thoughts and deeds. Amen.
Julie loves traveling, National Parks, reading, and creating. She lives in Delaware with her wonderful husband. Together they have four awesome kids. She’s excited to share what the Lord has placed on her heart with all the Daily Treasure readers. She prays that these devotions are a blessing to you!
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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.
