Renewing Your Mind with Scripture

Amy K

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing  and perfect will.” 

For decades, scientific research and consensus concluded that the adult brain is “hard-wired”.  It would degrade over time but it was a finished product at adulthood.  More recently, this concept has been overturned by the field of neuroplasticity.  

“Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience following injury.” Lisa Kreber, PhD CBIS.  Through this field, scientists have learned that the brain is dynamic and it physically reshapes itself based on thoughts, environment and input.  As a believer, this is another discovery that proves that the Word of God is the standard of all truth and reliable to live by.  The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and Mental Health America (MHA) have reported that over 19% of the US population has a diagnosable form of anxiety and over 18% experience depression.  It is an alarming percentage of the population who struggle daily.  

Luckily, God’s word is always true and always ready to provide a way forward for His children.    Our brain is continually making connections and pathways.  When we ruminate on things that cause stress, we strengthen the connections to fear, making it easier to fall into “fight or flight”.  Simply put, the more we think about what we fear, the more we think about what we fear!  

But scripture helps us to stop those pathways and redirect our mind towards God’s truth.  

Ps 1:1-2 “ Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” 

Thomas Brooks (1608–1680), a prominent English Puritan preacher and author, in his work, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, beautifully described the time spent in God’s word as a bee to honey.

"It is not the mere touching of the flower by the bee that gathers honey, but her abiding for a time on the flower that draws out the sweet. It is not he that reads most but he that meditates most that will prove to be the choicest, sweetest, wisest and strongest Christian."

Brooks paints a beautiful picture for us on the sweetness of savoring God’s word.  How it nourishes and is life giving.  It is not to be a chore, out of obligation, but we are to “meditate on it day and night” because it is a delight!  It anchors us to truth, it fills us with comfort and it reminds us of God’s care for us.  Slowly our mind transforms from a place of doubt and worry to peace.  

2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

The idea of taking every thought “captive” reminds us to be on guard.  We are to not allow any and all thoughts to roam free in our minds, but we are to filter out what is not pleasing and reflect the truth of scripture.  Consider the mind like a protected city and we are to place guards at the entrances.  Those guards are to turn away the thoughts that will cause chaos in the streets of our minds but they are to allow in those things that are beneficial to the city. 

Philippians 4:8 “ Finally, brothers and sisters, 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.”

By being continually on guard, we not only transform a fearful and confused mind to one that is renewed, but we are changing our identity.  Repeating scripture is to be a practice, a steady stream that slowly carves a new patter into rock.  This protection of our mind, will not only change our mood but our character.  No longer will we be reactive in the moment but we seek to be women of faith and unshaken when uncertainty enters our lives.    Ephesians 4:23-24 says “to be made new in the attitude of your minds;  and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Let us put this into practice each and everyday as we repeat scripture to quiet our minds and our spirits.