If there was a brain-meter that could measure the fear-quotient or the trust-quotient in each thought, what would your fear/trust score be? It may surprise you to know, we actually do have a way to measure fear and trust levels in our thought life. It’s our physical health!
Numerous ongoing studies show a direct correlation between chronic worry and gastrointestinal problems, headaches, respiratory illnesses and heart disease, just to name a few. The Bible shows a clear connection between wrong thinking and poor bone health (Proverbs 3:7-8; 4:20-22; 16:24-25; 17:22).
We’ve all experienced the tension that causes headaches, diarrhea and heart palpitations. We’re also familiar with the commercials that encourage us to ask for any number of drugs. But what if, instead of big medical bills that intensify the worry, and dangerous chemicals with their myriad of miserable side effects that simply soothe some of the symptoms, we could take care of the root of the problem at home?
Following are excerpts from an insightful article by Judah Pollack, Your Brain Has A Delete Button: The more you run a neuro-circuit in your brain, the stronger that circuit becomes. For example, the more you practice piano or speaking a language, the stronger these circuits become. To learn something new, even more important than practicing, is the ability to unlearn—or break down—the old circuits. This is called “synaptic pruning.”
Your brain is like a garden, but instead of flowers or vegetables, you grow synaptic connections between neurons. Neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin travel across these connections. Microglial cells are the brain’s gardener and waste removers: pulling “weeds”, killing “pests”, raking up “dead leaves”. The synaptic connections that get used less are marked by a protein. When the microglial cells sense the protein, they bond to it to “prune” the synapse; making physical space available to build new learning and information.
As you sleep, your brain cells shrink by 60% to make room for the microglial cells to work. Even a 10-20 minute nap gives your “gardeners” the opportunity to come in and clear away trash. It’s like running a defragmentation on your computer.
If you’re fighting with someone at work, and devote your time to thinking about how to get even with them, and not about your big project, you’re going to wind up a synaptic superstar at revenge plots, but a poor innovator. You literally craft your own mind by choosing your focus. When we spend time thinking repeatedly about the angry words someone spoke (bitterness); what our spouse didn’t do “right” (resentment), how desperate our finances seem (hopelessness), or how stupid the whole world is (cynicism), we fertilize poisonous “weed-thoughts,” helping them grow strong in our brains and making our bodies sick. We cannot control every circumstance, but we can determine the impact of every circumstance on our lives, by choosing how we think about what’s happening. The Bible calls it renewing the mind.
Let’s determine to exactly reverse the amount of time spent thinking weedy thoughts, and the time we invest in thinking about life from God’s perspective. We must know what the Bible says! In agreement with God’s Word; setting our focus, thoughts and conversation on Life rather than death, our God-designed “brain gardener” microglial cells will cut the “wrong-thought-weeds” down. This permits strong Godly thoughts to mature and produce the abundant harvest of joy, good physical health and emotional freedom!
1 Thessalonians 5:15-19; Colossians 4:2-3: See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek that which is good…for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus…devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving… Send questions and comments to: Dr. Dixie Yoder PO Box 466 Weatherford, OK 73096 580-774-2884 https://www.facebook.com
