True confession time. For my 16th birthday I really wanted 2 things – a Franklin Planner and to hear my favorite motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, speak live. I was given both by generous parents and still consider it one of my best birthday’s ever. My dad, in particular, really believed in the importance of positive thinking and I often listened to his cassette tapes by people like Zig Ziglar & Dr. Denis Waitley.
With a background like mine it was startling to realize just how (dare I say it) negative I have become in recent years. Not externally (at least I hope not) as much as internally where we do the most damage to ourselves. A large part of my negativity is a direct result of 5 years addicted to pornography. Talk about damaging your self-confidence and any feelings of self-worth!
The garbage that I put into my mind literally caused brain damage by creating neuro-net paths that kept leading me back to the same behaviors. Fortunately, Romans 12:2 tells us that we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. For the most part we can control what we feed our brains and we can create new and stronger neuro-net paths.
According to medicaldaily.com - The brain is arguably the most powerful organ in the human body. After all, it’s responsible for everything from the way you move to what you think. It’s even active while you’re asleep, getting rid of all the unneeded memories from the day (among other brain trash) allowing you to wake up refreshed and ready to bombard it with commands and experiences all over again. To achieve all these tasks on tasks on tasks, those 85 billion neurons must complete upwards of five trillion chemical reactions each second, at speeds of over 260 miles per hour.
You may exercise and make good food choices to take care of your physical body. But what are you doing to take care of your brain? What we fill our minds with matters. What we read, watch and listen to matters. As author John Ortberg puts it, “The way you think creates your attitudes; the way you think shapes your emotions; the way you think governs your behavior; the way you think deeply influences your immune system and vulnerability to illness. Everything about you flows out of the way you think.”
In Philippians 4:8 Paul 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.” Take time today to evaluate what you are feeding your brain. Listen to your own self talk. Make a conscience choice to screen what you read, watch and listen to.
Mark 2:30 tells us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” To do that to the best of our ability we need to work this year on the mental, physical and spiritual parts of our lives. Please join me in striving to improve all of these areas in 2017.