Free to Thrive: How Your Hurt, Struggles & Deepest Longings Can Lead to a Fulfilling LifeSampel

## The Battle of The Brain For years I (Ben) believed my struggles with anger, overeating, and porn use were simply bad decisions I kept making – that I just needed to love Jesus more in order to stop. I wish I had known how my brain played a role in overcoming these struggles. The Bible mentions the words “mind,” “think,” and “believe" over 580 times. There’s a huge emphasis on what to put our mental energy toward. For example, we’re told to set our minds on things above in Colossians 3:2 and to take every thought captive in 2 Corinthians 10:5. Why? Because our behaviors follow our beliefs. Our unmet longings and hurt lead us to believe deep-rooted lies. Over time, we begin operating our lives from these lies. For example, hurt from others can lead us to develop a sense of shame, believing we are flawed at the core of our being despite having been made new through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We can attempt to hustle for our worth – overworking, getting the “right” body, making more money – to feel approved of and valuable. Others of us might start to become depressed, turning inward and losing all hope in life. And some turn to overeating, getting drunk, or sexual activity as a way to numb these lies and feel a temporary sense of peace and safety. These repeated thoughts and behaviors lead to fixed neurological pathways in our brains. Over time, we have a hardwired physical brain issue needing resolution, which explains why it can be so difficult to stop returning to our unhealthy beliefs and behaviors. The good news in Romans 12:2 is we can renew our minds. Neuroplasticity affirms this reality: our brain can change as new brain pathways are developed and old pathways begin to wither away. Over time, lies can be replaced with truth, and brokenness can be healed by God, and you take steps to live the flourishing life Jesus offers you. 1\. What are your unhealthy patterns of thoughts and behaviors? 2\. How does understanding the brain’s functionality impact you? 3\. What one step can you take to begin changing an unhealthy thought pattern through God’s power today?