How, dear readers, do you know when science is true and unbiased versus when it's "fake news" that isn't yet proven? I have a simple rule: Does God's Word mention it?
You see, for there to be a creation, there must be a Creator. And I know there's a stigma about Christians not believing in science - but that's just a bad stereotype. If you really, honestly believe the Bible is God's Word, it actually answers all of our questions about life and godliness. Including those unique things that scientists think are remarkable, but can't understand the how behind.
I love (and I mean LOVE) when God's Word is proven to be true - rather, when something else is proven to be true by God's Word. I found one of those cool things relatively recently, but before we get into what that is, I want to share the Word (it pertains to the cool thing).
Romans 12:2 KJV: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
To renew your mind is to continuously "new up" your thoughts to the Word of God and principles in His Word. It's a consistent and diligent process of believing and lining your thinking up with God's Word.
It's changing your mind to think about the positive Truths of the Word rather than the negatives of this world. It is how we are transformed and can prove that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.
Now that’s already pretty awesome - knowing we can change to be the person we want to be simply by believing and changing our thought patterns? Yes, please! But more than that (for this article, anyway) is that we can prove God’s will, aka His Word. So let’s look at that cool thing I learned that scientists are researching more and more!
Neuroplasticity: “The ability for the brain to adapt or change over time, by creating new neurons and building new networks. … It means that it is possible to change dysfunctional patterns of thinking and behaving and to develop new mindsets, new memories, new skills, and new abilities.”
There are two types of neuroplasticity:
Structural neuroplasticity, in which the strength of the connections between neurons (or synapses) changes.
Functional neuroplasticity, which describes the permanent changes in synapses due to learning and development (Demarin, Morović, & Béne, 2014).
We’re going to talk about both! Neuroplasticity really means changing your mind consistently until you strengthen those new neural connections and change your behaviors and beliefs. Basically, it's what God has already called "renewing your mind." It’s the process in which our brains learn and adapt to new information and experiences.
“One could speculate that this process opens up the possibility to reinvent yourself and move away from the status quo or to overcome past traumatic events that evoke anxiety and stress. Hardwired fear-based memories often lead to avoidance behaviors that can hold you back from living your life to the fullest.” - Christopher Bergland (2017)
I like this quote. Let me tell you why. First, renewing your mind can do exactly that: reinvent (transform) you and heal you from past events that cause those overwhelming negatives. You have so honed in on something positive, your mind is full! Therefore, it doesn't have room to accept any of those negative memories or situations.
Secondly, "fear-based memories." This is very accurate. What we tend to harp on are either negatives that make us guilty or fearful. The adversary's (or devil, or enemy. Whichever you prefer) goal is to make us afraid because when we're afraid, we don't trust God our Father. That limits God from being able to move in our lives. This is why, all through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, God's clarion call is "Be not afraid."
Joshua 1:9 KJV: "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
So, part of the renewed mind is to change those thought patterns that make us fearful into the positives of God's Word, like God is with us wherever we go!
Thirdly, "living your life to the fullest." Don't we all want to do that? Turns out, God wants us to do that, too. He sent His son Jesus Christ so that we could have life. Not some mundane, boring, no fun life. But a more than abundant, prosperous, joyful life!!!
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10 KJV (See also: III John 1:2 and Acts 3:26)
These things that Bergland talks about are absolutely available and it is certainly not speculation. It is the Truth of the Word of God. Now neuroplasticity has a very cool, and totally proven by the Word, detail: the more you change your thinking, the stronger those neural pathways become. In other words, it gets easier and easier until it is just who you are.
It's just like a muscle. The more you work it out, the stronger and easier it gets. It physically changes your brain. So, as you continue to renew your mind (change your thinking to God's Word and principles) you physically change your brain pathways to the point where it is just natural to think in this new way. How amazing is that?
God so designed life that we can grow and become who we want to be and it's not a temporary fix. It actually changes the physical makeup of our brain to change who we are. To transform us. To live the will of God and prove it in our lives.
There are topics like this all across the scientific world. From evolution to neuroplasticity to archaeology, we can know that we know that God's Word is true, thus we know which scientific findings to believe (and which ones not to).
I'll update this series over time as I find new things that God's Word has already proven. God does not want us to be ignorant; He loves us too much to leave us in the dark.
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God..." 1 John 3:1-2a KJV
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