Something you may not have considered lately is controlling your entire way of life. What you might ask? Neurons. They control what you think, how you feel and what you do. Most importantly they control your very perception of reality. Neurons are the core part of our nervous system. The average human brain consists of 100 billion neurons which together make a complex network of electric pathways used to transmit information from one part of the body to the next by electro-chemical signaling. Through hard work and commitment you can change the conception of your thoughts and transform not only the way your mind works but also all that surrounds you.
Neurons Run Our Minds…Here’s How
Neurons transmit power from one part of the brain to another activating different sections of the brain. If you were to compare one human brain to the next, generally they would have the same anatomy, but not one person is “wired” like another. The connections in our brain are built off of our experiences. No two people have the exact same connections. Genetics additionally play a huge role in the personality traits a person is born with. The personality traits cause us to react certain ways which in turn causes us to have certain experiences. Every thought, feeling and action causes different neurons to fire. The more often we think feel and act one way the more we construct one pathway based on that belief. We put that belief to memory by repeating it and activating the same neuron pathways.
Memories shape who we are and what we believe in. For instance, if growing up every time you touched the stove you got yelled at, whether it was on or off your brain then began to make the connection that you should fear touching the stove at all times because you get yelled at. That would wire your brain differently than the person who was only yelled at for touching the stove when it was on. Going into adulthood, the person who always got yelled at for touching the stove could continue to fear the stove without remembering why because their neuron pathways automatically fire down the path to cause fear when touching a stove. Where as the person who was only yelled at when they touched the hot stove only has reaction of fear when the stove is turned on.
Childhood is where these connections or neural pathways are formed and they last a lifetime. It is the way that we live our lives that determines whether or not these paths change. A child has an extensive capacity to receive and apply new thoughts. Matthew 18:2-3 says,
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Children have the purest brainpower to learn, listen and grow. In Christ we are meant to be the same way. Always listening and forming new connections. Becoming childlike is to become openminded and to look past all of the experiences that have made us the way we are, past the bounds of this physical reality. God renews the minds of his people, wiping away the past and creating new. Romans 12:2 says,
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove that which is good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Conforming to the world is letting your life experiences determine all that you are. We are bigger than our circumstances. God calls each of us with our own unique purpose. Sometimes getting to that purpose means moving past what you already know to explore something greater. This doesn’t mean forgetting everything, but accepting it all in order to learn from the past and grow from it. In order to grow we need an increase in faith.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
Keep your heart open to listen to the holy spirit. God will bring hindering beliefs up in your mind the more you read and meditate on his word. Rely not on your own limited understanding, but on his infinite understanding. With an open mind and heart he will more easily be able to focus your attention to where it needs to be. With a wandering focus, nothing productive will get done. When you submit your mind to Christ miracles begin to happen. Your life is renewed, refocused and rededicated.
Once you are guided to where you have a limiting belief (this could be something that causes fear or stress) pray about how this belief is holding you back. What would be a more beneficial belief? Meditate on verses that pertain to that topic. You may want to begin writing or declaring a healthier thought. Just by taking these steps, your brain will begin to make new connections, not by your power but by the power of the holy spirit within you. By exposing yourself to the truth about how you are valued by Christ you stop believing the lies of this world. The more you expose yourself to the truth, your confidence and faith will grow. Faith alone inspires action and movement in the right direction.
Life is nothing more than cognition. God created the world by first thinking it and then speaking it into existence. He created us in his own image so without our thoughts and focus, things cease to be. The devil knows this, which is why he intentionally causes distractions that pull people back down into lower level thinking. The more people he can get to focus on sin and wrongdoing, the more sin and wrong doing will be pushed to the forefront in our society. Just like our attention, our words hold power over our lives
Matthew 21:21
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Matthew 21:21 reminds us that our beliefs shape our realities. To have faith you must first believe. First we perceive or think then we speak things into existence by our underlying beliefs. Faith causes action which causes change. The catalyst being the new thought generating new words, leading to new actions, bringing about a new way of life.
Summing it all up, here are the main steps to think about when changing the way you think:
1. Become childlike by being openminded willing to listen and learn.
2. Embrace past experiences, learn from them and move on.
3. Allow the holy spirit to be your guide.
4. Renew your mind and focus.
5. Your newfound faith will give you the confidence you need to take action!
Conceiving a new thought process causes great resistance in the mind. The engrained belief has caused an easy well trodden path. The new belief is a path that hasn’t yet been taken, it causes the mind to use different parts in synchronicity than what were used before. Depending on how deeply engrained the original belief was it can be a treacherous climb to rewire it. The more that empowering path is taken, the easier it will become. This is a simplification of the process that could be greatly expanded upon. Sometimes you have to gradually change a belief, to take it in levels to get to your ult
imate goal because going to the ultimate goal right away would be a shock to the system. While it is very possible to change the wiring of your own brain, it’s unlikely that it will happen unless you recognize that God is much greater than you and submit to him.
Trauma Survivors:
Unlike other cells, nerve cells do not reproduce in adulthood. We develop them at a young age and keep them our entire lives. For people who have been through trauma, this process of changing beliefs is much more difficult. The trauma evoked such deep emotional or physical distress that it caused a disconnect to occur in the brain. It’s the same as an injury on the outside of our body, it causes the need for rehabilitation. The start is accepting the disconnect or injury no matter how great. Living in denial that it’s there will do no good. The wound will only fester more under the surface until it finally manifests physically in some way. This is what happens when people form addictions, the addictions are a result of an underlying problem that the addict doesn’t deal with.
Once the injury has been accepted a delicate process begins learning to strengthen the weak spot. The effects abuse has on the wiring of a persons mind are immense. Once acceptance takes place moving on and taking the same steps I listed above will evoke the same changes. Sometimes accepting the trauma is the hardest part. Just like taking that first step in physical rehabilitation after an injury, that part is so unstable and weak that it can’t stand on it’s own. It takes strong discipline, courage and strength to start healing. God takes the weak and brokenhearted and he heals them proving his miraculous power. Seeing someone grow past the trauma they have experienced and watching them use it to help others is Gods greatest success story. If you have been through trauma don’t let it define you or make you feel any less valuable than anyone else.
In Isaiah 61:7 God promises,
For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
God has a plan to use everything you have been through as a blessing. Shame often accompanies trauma. As you increase in faith, you will be able to see a blessing in even the things you are most ashamed of. Remember Gods promises and use them to motivate you to heal any weaknesses.
Walk By Faith Not By Sight
I encourage everyone to begin working on their mental weaknesses. It doesn’t matter how large the trauma was that was done, just taking that first painful step of acceptance will open more internal avenues than you have ever had before. The more you better your own mental state, the less crutches you will need. Things will begin to powerfully change around you because you have changed what was within you. Finding Christ is what started my healing. It took me believing in God to have the desire to change myself for the better. Jesus Christ became my cornerstone to build my beliefs off of and the more I hear the Bible, the more my destructive beliefs change. I pray that the same thing will happen for you and that Christ will heal all of your weaknesses as you begin to walk by faith and not by sight.
You Won"t Guess What They Are but They Control Your Very Perception of Reality
No comments:
Post a Comment