Building Your Brain

By Tim Keller, Lead Pastor

What’s your phone number? You likely won’t need more than a few seconds to respond to that question with the right answer. Why? Because the chances are really good that you have been asked that question many times and have “Googled” it in your brain on each occasion.

In his book, “The Coach Model,” Keith Webb describes that learning actually takes place when succinct bits of information are reinforced over and over again. This is why three bullet points are easier to remember than three paragraphs. The process that our brains use to grow and rewire themselves during our lives is called “neuroplasticity.”

Each time you think something or do something your brain sends a signal along a neural pathway.  The more signals that travel on a particular neural pathway the stronger that pathway becomes. This means that the more times you repeat something the better chance you will have of being able to recall it quickly.

Researchers differ in the amount of times it takes repeating something before it becomes ingrained in our minds. Most indicate it requires somewhere from 16-30 repetitions. We literally build our brains through repeating things over and over.

Let’s look at a couple of applications.

First, reading the Bible definitely has value, but memorizing Scripture becomes the gateway to a much fuller and better understanding of God’s Word. Before you start telling me that you can’t remember anything because of your age, education, gender, stress level, or . . . wait, there was one other excuse that I can’t think of right now – the truth is that memory is really just about reinforcing neural pathways. Say it over and over again and it will become the way you think about something. Of course, advertisers and theme song composers have known this for a long time. “Here’s the story, of a lovely lady, who was bringing up three very lovely girls . . . “

Second, even within the pages of the Bible we see the principle of neuroplasticity enacted. In Psalm 136 the psalmist writes a certain refrain again and again in response to a new idea about God. Over and over he writes, “His love endures forever.” He’s reinforcing an idea over and over so that we will hear it and allow it to be reinforced in our minds. “Hey, God’s love never goes away!”

This information does come with a warning; new neural pathways tend to be weak and given a choice our brains will default from a new idea to an old idea that has been reinforced many times in the past. Thus, the old idea tends to be stronger. It takes a focused mental effort to get our brains to think differently than they have in the past. Fortunately, we have Holy Spirit to guide us into all Truth and help us to be transformed in our minds by His power.

In Romans 12:2, Paul commanded the Christians at Rome to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Only by doing this would they be able to actually grab ahold of God’s perfect will.

How are your neural pathways today? Are you defaulting to old patterns or are you actively engaged in discovering new Truth through Holy Spirit’s ministry to your brain?