Break Free and Live in TruthSample

Path Most Traveled

I attended a seminar which talked about the biological process that takes place when we are changing toxic thoughts and destructive behaviors into healthy life-affirming ways. The transformation is possible when we retrain the brain.

The seminar was given by a Christian psychologist. Her vivid analogy is one I will never forget because she used a visual comparison that made a lot of sense to me, especially when I compared it to my personal healing journey.

She began explaining that as we go through life, our personality, life-experience, and realm of influence play an intricate role in the development of our brains. Firm beliefs about ourselves and the world in which we live take root and create patterns of thinking. The visual aid she used was that of a dirt path that is worn down through frequent use.

She then went on to explain that as our brains mature and develop, the dirt path becomes a paved road. And when our minds entertain toxic thoughts, the “paved road” quickly turns into an eight-lane highway. Toxic thought patterns turn into destructive behavior patterns, and before we know it, our lives spin wildly out of control.

But here is the good news! She said we can change our thought patterns, head in a different direction, and live in freedom. It all begins with the acknowledgement that our old way of thinking is unhealthy. After we make this mental declaration, we must consciously choose a different path and redirect our thoughts and ways.

Changed thoughts turn into changed behaviors. Changed behaviors turn into changed lives.

The process of establishing a new way of thinking is difficult at first. Like a path being forged through the jungle, tangled weeds threaten our forward progress. Worldly lies deeply embedded in the mind take some of us years to weed out.

However, if we push through the obstacles and stay the course, in time, healthy brain pathways create new eight lane highways that change us from the inside out. God makes our transformation possible through the truth of His Word.

With each new truth, the path to freedom becomes more evident. Neurons are formed, new brain waves are developed, and healthy behavior patterns are the result.

Eventually new brain pathways become easier to travel. Freedom is no longer a dream. It is a way of life. And what happens to our old way of thinking after it has been abandoned? The neglected road becomes cracked, overgrown, and much less desirable to travel.

Are you ready to take God’s hand and walk in a different direction? Let Jesus lead you step-by-step.

“The footprints you leave behind show clearly where you have been, but they do not dictate where you can now go” (Ralph Martson).

Personal Reflection

• At what age did you begin having toxic thoughts about your body or food?
• Can you identify patterns of thinking that may have contributed to your struggles?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, please help me identify false beliefs that have contributed to the path I am currently on and give me courage and perseverance to walk in a different direction. Amen.