Practicing the spiritual disciplines could rewire your brain
Nineteen years ago this summer, the Towne family had a small reunion in Canon City. My cousin Eddie was visiting from Arizona, and Grandpa Towne thought that would be a good opportunity to gather local family members together.
Around thirty of us showed up for a picnic at Aunt Phyllis’s place in Canon. Among those gathered was a cousin I hadn’t seen in many years, and she brought with her a rather unattractive dog. Grandpa took one look at the pet and asked, “Just how much did they have to pay you to take that dog?”
After laughing out loud, I leaned over to my sister Beth and said, “Now I know where my smart mouth came from. I don’t feel so bad about it anymore . . . it’s genetic.” Whether it is genetic or not, it is definitely part of the hard wiring of my brain!
Recently, I have preached often on the subject of the spiritual disciplines. Prayer, Bible study, worship, silence and solitude, meditation, and other disciplines have been either the main focus or in some way connected to the Scripture or topic of my sermons. I have often repeated themes regarding how the disciplines create holy space in our lives for God to invade; they put us on a path where God can direct our ways and our hearts; they cultivate the ground so that God can produce growth in us.
Now, I’d like to introduce another metaphor which illustrates why we need to practice the disciplines. Spiritual disciplines make new connections in the hard wiring of our brain.
Something happens when we decide to practice meditation, worship, prayer, etc. God uses those repeated decisions, that rule of life, to rewire how our minds work. Automatic reactions begin to reflect God’s presence; anger is checked; lust is replaced with thoughts of higher quality; self-centeredness is surrendered; service is chosen; and spite is recognized before it takes root.
Now this rewiring takes a while because years of automatic reactions aren’t overcome and replaced in a short period of time. But be assured that the disciplines are an effective tool in the hands of our Master Electrician.
“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” (Romans 12:2).