Week Thirty-One - Switch on Your Brain

Beside the Well

            As I closed the book, I had to take time to ponder some of what I had just read.  Switch On Your Brain, by Dr. Caroline Leaf, is a book about how our brains are teachable.  She used loads of science and words I can’t pronounce, but there are enough layman terms that I could get the gist of what she was saying.
            The last portion of her book is her five-step plan for detoxing your brain.  While I’m not much for these step-by-step plans, I found myself meditating and Scripture kept coming to my mind that reaffirmed what I had just read.
            Without going into great detail, her five-step plan is:  Gather, Focused Reflection, Write, Revisit, and Active Reach.  Shame it doesn’t make some sort of memorable anagram!
            She is saying we can re-train our brains to think good thoughts by 1) looking at what we are currently thinking 2) reflect on individual problem thoughts 3) journal, using words and/or drawings 4) revisit what we have recorded 5) take active steps to reinforce change.  You’d have to read the book to get more!
            What I want to think about with you today is the fact that God’s Word reinforces science.  Her plan is not something new.  There is nothing new under the sun.  But what she has done is take her science and put it alongside God’s revealed word.

            Gather – Bring every thought captive.  2 Corinthians 10:5

            Reflect - What am I thinking about?  Is it good?  Is it healthy?  (Philippians 4:8) Bring these things to the front of your mind.

            Write – Journal.  Writing or drawing places a visual reminder in your head. “Write them upon the table of thine heart” Proverbs 7:3.

            Revisit – Call to remembrance what you are learning.  Start adopting what you can.  Little by little let it teach you a new way of thinking.  Renew your mind. Isaiah 28:10 “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a  little, and there a little.”

            Active Reach – Philippians 4:9  “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you.”  Do something active to reinforce what you are learning.  Application, application, application.

            There is so much more I’d like to share with you.  Maybe I will come back to some of this at a later time.  For now, I wanted to say how encouraged I was by this book to 1) See the scientific and spiritual benefit of my quiet time. 2) Know that my brain is always learning.  And 3) Rejoice in God’s incredible wisdom.  
            Truly, we are fearfully and wonderfully made in His image!  My brain is switched on!

Gail Gritts

Beside the Well
rggritts@gmail.com
ggritts.blogspot.com