The Brain Plays An Important Part In Our Lives

 

      Our brains are created to work through the process of conditioning. We do something over and over again and eventually we find ourselves reacting to many situations almost automatically. We also come to associate certain feelings and thoughts with situations that have happened to us over the years. That is why a smell can instantly trigger old memories or why colors, tastes or even a song can remind us of happier days or grim tragedies.

 

     This comes from the interface between our physical brains and our psyches, which are our minds and emotions. The modern science of neurobiology has confirmed that certain parts of our brains actually reinforce our thoughts and feelings by sending doses of chemicals that make us feel good or bad about our decisions.

Here is a simple brain "map" that highlights areas of the brain that influence our every day lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Each strand of neurons sends chemicals called neurotransmitters between the nerve endings that influence how we feel and think every day:                                                                                            

 

 

 

 

 

       These chemicals are:  Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Entrophins.  Those are the positive chemical supporters for behavior. These  four basic neurotransmitters are supports for the way we feel and react to stress and other factors in our lives.

 

 

 

 

 

     There are also chemicals that have a negative effect on our psyches and bodies. The major one is cortisol. This promotes weight gain, high blood pressure, and other stress related problems. Both positive and negative chemicals are triggered or enhanced by diet, exercise, stress and our thought patterns. Remember that any habit that we do repeatedly creates neural pathways in our brains that are both triggered and reinforced chemically. If we are not careful, we can fall very easily into our old brain patterns and not really change at all, even if we stop the outward addictions and abuse in our lives.

 

THE NEW NATURE THAT WE RECEIVE IN BAPTISM HAS TO DEAL WITH OLD BRAIN AND BODY PATTERNS

 

     This is why people struggle with breaking habits that are negative even after we become Christians. Patterns become part of who we physically and psychologically are. So if we are to truly become who we were meant to be, we have to overcome the patterns our brains and bodies have learned through bad choices on our parts and abuse and neglect we may have suffered at the hands of others. When someone comes to the Creator in the Christian Twelve Steps, we are given the ability to become New Creations because God comes to live inside of our spirits. That's what the Steps of repentance and Baptism are all about. 

 

     But a new spirit inside of us must be strengthened and supported in order for us to overcome the old patterns we have engraved in our bodies and brains. That is why we must be renewed day by day in how we think, what we say and what we do.  That takes more than just going to church, wistful thinking or hoping for a change.

We must stand up and confront our one old brain with the power of the nature of Christ inside of us.

     We have seen that the patterns in our lives are engraved on our very flesh-inside of our brains. Those choices and habits that we chose and forged marked us for success or failure. Many times we were conditioned like Pavlov's dog with no choice at all in our lives due to physical abuse, rape, sexual molestation and neglect inside and outside of the womb. How then can anyone ever get well? Are we doomed to never be anything more than just survivors in life? Or is there more?

 

What's the answer?

     We have seen that the patterns in our lives are engraved on our very flesh-inside of our brains. Those choices and habits that we chose and forged marked us for success or failure. Many times we were conditioned like Pavlov's dog with no choice at all in our lives due to physical abuse, rape, sexual molestation and neglect inside and outside of the womb. How then can anyone ever get well? Are we doomed to never be anything more than just survivors in life? Or is there more?

 

What's the answer?

   

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