You were created for love, but you have learned to fear! The neurological love pathway in your brain consciously evaluates toxic thoughts, and as you choose to hand the situation over to God, you do not submit to fear. And love is the stronger of the two pathways! ‘There is no fear in love; but perfect love [the knowledge and acceptance of God’s unearned and unfailing love for us] casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect [mature] in love’ (1 John 4:18 NKJV). As a redeemed child of God, you are wired for love, which means that love is your normal default mode; it is designed to dominate. Regardless of the way you have chosen to react in the past, painful, toxic thoughts can be reconstructed, even toxic feelings you have been nursing for so long and are so familiar with that you think they are normal. You can analyse them and rewire them because of your brain’s neuroplasticity. This is what Paul meant: ‘Do not be conformed to this world [its values and thought patterns], but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ Will this ‘renewing’ happen overnight? No. Science shows that you need to practise using something at least seven times before it becomes part of you. As you keep doing this, God’s Spirit will work with you, and eventually you’ll be able to use this amazing love circuit of the brain to balance your reason and emotions. When you do that, you’ll take a giant leap in the direction of bringing all your thoughts, which produce your emotions, under control (see 2 Corinthians 10:5).

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.