February 2, 2026

NEUROSCIENCE AND THE NEW NATURE

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life... Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 NLT

---

TODAY’S THOUGHT

One of the greatest lessons in life is simple: We are what we think. Our thoughts are the architects of our words, actions, and attitudes. If we want to become a different person, we must develop different thought patterns.

The Biology of Renewal

In Neuroscience for Dummies, Frank Amthor explains that our brains are not static; they have an extraordinary ability to be physically reshaped. This is called neuroplasticity. Our brains contain roughly 100 billion neurons connected by thousands of synapses. These synapses create "familiar roadways" or grooves in our minds. When we repeat a certain line of thinking—whether it’s worry, anger, or faith—we are literally carving a path in our brain. The more we think it, the deeper the "rut" becomes, making that thought easier to repeat.

The Holy Spirit as the Architect

This is where the spiritual meets the physical. The Bible commands us to “let the Spirit renew your thoughts.” God, the Designer of the brain, provided the Holy Spirit to help us "re-wire" these pathways.

Because of our fallen nature, we are born with a "sin virus" that has corrupted our mental roadways. We tend toward self-protection, fear, and deception. However, the Holy Spirit works to transform our thinking so that our behavior eventually conforms to the image of Christ. He doesn't just change our "mood"; He helps us build new "roadways" of righteousness.

The Power of the Pivot

Transformation is a partnership. Every day, we choose where to fix our focus.

• The Promise: Isaiah 26:3 tells us that when we fix our thoughts on God, He keeps us in “perfect peace.” * The Reality: Anxiety, fear, and worry are often the by-products of a mind that has wandered onto the wrong roadway.

I must make a daily choice to "fix" my mind. Left to its own devices, my mind will naturally slip back into the old, deep ruts of worry.

Watch Your Intake

Years ago, a woman came to me struggling with intrusive, dark thoughts. As we talked, I asked about her "mental diet." It turned out she spent hours every day reading novels with highly questionable and dark content. She had never connected her reading habits with her thinking patterns.

I challenged her to a 30-day "fast" from those books. Within one week, her thought life had completely shifted. In a world of endless social media scrolling and binge-watching, we must be vigilant. You cannot build a "new nature" while feeding the "old ruts."

---

TODAY’S PRAYER

Holy Spirit, reveal the areas where I have allowed my thoughts to wander down old, corrupted paths. Forgive me for feeding the wrong nature. Today, I choose to fix my thoughts on You. Help me to build new pathways of peace and holiness. I put on my new nature today. Amen.

“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”