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TRANS FORMAT ION
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tion and the opportunity to live in relationship with our Savior.
So, we must be careful to view God as Scripture describes Him
to us—A God who loves us and has made a great sacrifice to
rescue us from our sins through His justice
and
His grace. That
is nothing like the image of the police office in his car watching
and waiting to gleefully deliver a ticket of punishment.
When we come to know God as the God who loves us and
has acted in His perfect justice and mercy to save us from our
sins, our brains are rewired. Our limbic system begins to prop-
erly function more properly, working in collaboration with our
prefrontal cortex. Stress levels and chronic pain are no longer fed
by our brains, and our relationship with God and others begins
to flourish. When we see a Savior who saw us in our sin and
made a way to rescue us from our punishment of hell, every-
thing changes. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul knowledgably
encouraged us to think about things that are true, noble, right,
pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8).
Such thinking includes our view of God. Paul also talks about
how we can be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Rom.
12:2). This transformation affects us to the very core of our be-
ing (Jennings, 2013).
So, how do we renew our mind and begin the process of change
in our brains? First, we take up the Matthew 6:33 principle of
seeking the Lord first, and then all these other things will be
added unto you. Here are a few other practical ways you can
help strengthen your prefrontal cortex, as it works to calm your
limbic system, rewire your brain and help you grow closer to
Christ and others:
1. SPEND TIME IN HIS WORD, DAILY.
Arrange
your schedule to include regular study in the Scripture
and opportunity to check in on your beliefs about God.
2. PRAY.
Ask God to help you understand His Word
more fully.
3. MEDITATE AND MEMORIZE.
Bind His Words
on your heart and think about them day and night.
4. REWRITE YOUR NARRATIVE.
Retell the story
of your life, highlighting the ways God has been faith-
ful to you, and to others you know.
5. CHECK IN ON YOUR BODY AS A TEMPLE.
Maintain a healthy regimen of eating right, drinking
water, exercising, and sleeping 7-8 hours every night.
6. KEEP YOUR MIND ACTIVE.
Find ways to keep
your brain active by intentionally meditating on things
that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.
7. DEVELOP HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
God
created us to need each other, so make sure you are ac-
countable to someone.
8. COUNSELING.
Visit a Christian counselor when
you need help through difficult life situations.
9. CHURCH ATTENDANCE.
Fellowship with other
believers, and dive deeper into God’s Word.
10. PRACTICE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES
such as
prayer, fasting, silence, simplicity, or the practice of the
presence of God.
Melissa Carlisle, MAMFC, ALC,
is an Associate
Licensed Counselor with Pathways Professional
Counseling, a ministry of the Alabama Baptist
Children’s Homes and Family Ministries. She
holds degrees from Samford University and the
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently
completing a doctoral degree in psychology and counseling.
Reference
Jennings, T. R. (2013).
The God-shaped brain: How changing your view of
God transforms your life.
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.