Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to reorganize itself, both physically and functionally, throughout life, after injuries of all sorts, due to the environment, our own habits & behaviors (many times compulsive), obsessive thinking, and relentless emotions of fear and panic.
How can we benefit from learning about neuroplasticity?
Think of play dough. Do you remember how fun it used to be to play with it, to squish it, poke it, smell it, taste it (or eat it), to choose your favorite color, to mold it into your favorite animal? As play dough gets hard when kept in a container, away from molding hands, so our brain can get locked in rigid modes of perception and action, which give us that “stuck” feeling, the physiological state of ‘freeze’ in the autonomic nervous system, and the despair, the “it is impossible to get out” state of the soul and spirit. But let’s remember that God created us in his image, a loving image ( not a stuck image), and, before he called us to become like Him, he equipped us with everything we need to fulfill that calling. Therefore, God endowed us with an ability to adapt and change, a neuro- biological resource for coping with distress – neuroplasticity. Our brain is not play dough and our hands cannot shape it, but our knowledge, faith and free will can do anything when we put it in God’s hands.
Armed with this knowledge, I wonder if you are not more inclined to believe that anything is possible with God, as stated in the Bible.
The only requirement is to choose hope when you see none around you and to hold on to that thin thread of “It may be possible” when you are immersed in that nagging “Impossible” in you and around you.
So let’s not forget that God populated our brain with mirror neurons so that we can see him, follow him and stay in touch with him; that God gave us a filter, the reticular activated system, to help us discern and decide what information to keep and what to discard; that God gave us motor neurons to signal bones and muscles to organize and reorganize in walking towards him; no rootless wander, no aimless struggle, but well-coordinated, efficient fight -“the good fight” and soul healing.
May the Creator work in you today. May you let the Holy Spirit reorganize your life (brain included) today.
May you let Him change the color of your play dough.