The human mind is mysterious, and the recent developments in brain science are fascinating. Even better, all the new discoveries about the brain were in your Bible all along. So many biblical concepts about meditating on God’s Word, renewing your mind, and focusing on righteous things are now backed by brain science. God designed the ability to rewrite your neural pathways for your health and happiness. Things like gratitude and meditation have been proven to have many physical, mental, and emotional health benefits. There is even science to help us overcome unhealthy habits or addictions, which the Bible speaks to. So if you want to start working with your brain instead of against it, these seven verses will help you rewrite neural pathways to help you thrive just like you were designed to!
1. Romans 8:5
Those who live according to the flesh
have their minds set on what the flesh desires;
but those who live in accordance with the Spirit
have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
The things that you focus on and spend your time doing shape you. They form the roadways in your brain. This verse confirms what science has also told us: you are what you eat. This applies to anything you consume. What books, TV shows, or music do you consume consistently? Are the patterns in your life building you up or tearing you down? Do you have rhythms that make you feel anxious, undermine your self-esteem, or cause negative thoughts? Maybe it’s time to change those patterns.
Later, Galatians tells us about the fruit of the Spirit. Are you consuming things that produce joy, peace, or kindness? Do you find yourself growing in gentleness or self-control as a result of your entertainment? When we live according to our flesh (or sinful appetites), we allow our minds to be taken up by fleshly things. If you want your mind to be healthy like God designed it, you need to implement patterns that focus your mind on the desires of the Spirit and produce good fruit.
2. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we live in the world, we do not
wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight
with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary,
they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We
demolish arguments and every pretension that sets
itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take
captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Brain scientists are constantly discovering ways our brains can overcome negative thought processes by rewriting neural pathways. This concept is all throughout the Bible. God was teaching us how to do this before we ever had the technologies to do brain scans. How many times during the day do you experience a negative thought, fear, or internal critique? How frequently do you find yourself believing lies? The prescription these verses provide is taking every thought captive.
This is the same practice secular therapists suggest. When a thought enters your mind, take a moment and examine the idea. Look at it as a separate entity from your person. For example, the thought “nobody loves me” is not a part of who you are. It’s separate. Examine it for validity. If it’s not accurate, you must speak the truth to that thought. Reaffirm the correct statement. Instead of letting your insecurities run you or make your mind race, you can take the thought captive and claim authority over it through the power of the Holy Spirit. Repetition of this causes your mind to submit itself to the truth of Scripture. This is the divine power we’ve been given to demolish strongholds, as this verse says. It’s all through Jesus.
3. Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God
—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the
pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what
God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Presenting your body as a living sacrifice is not just a metaphor! You can lay down your own brain chemistry as a sacrifice to the Lord. There are so many things in our lives vying to give us instant gratification. Social media, short-form videos, junk food, and video games all provide dopamine hits that make us feel good. Satan also often dangles sin in front of us by promising But even things that aren’t overtly sinful aren’t always healthy, especially if we’re using them as vices or crutches. Don’t chase happiness by chasing dopamine. Sometimes, the healthiest choices are not as instantly satisfying.
What if forgoing some of this instant gratification is a way you can lay down your body as a sacrifice to Jesus? By saying, “Jesus, I know my body is craving dopamine through sugar or entertainment right now, but instead, I’m going to spend some time in prayer,” you are declaring that Jesus means more to you than dopamine. This allows you to train your brain, so you don’t get stuck in bondage. Instead of conforming to the unhealthy patterns of the world, you will transform by renewing your mind and laying down your desires for the sake of Christ.
4. Colossians 3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,
set your hearts on things above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds
on things above, not on earthly things.
Every time I scroll through Instagram, I see life coaches or mindset gurus encouraging me to manifest good vibes, overcome self-limiting beliefs, and speak good energy into existence. While many of these messages are problematic because they focus on powers other than God to achieve results, they are sooo close and yet sooo far.
Setting your mind on something higher than yourself is a biblical concept. God designed our brains and bodies to work best when our mindset is focused on Him. The power is not within yourself or “the universe.” It is through the blood and resurrection of Jesus and the Holy Spirit within us. When we know there is One who we can trust even when the circumstances around us feel unsure. We can set our hearts and minds on a hope that will not waver and a power that will not fade. This helps us to gain a broader perspective. We can regulate our big emotions when we understand the grand scheme of things. This guards against getting pulled under by petty arguments, power plays, political disputes, or sexual escapades. When our hearts are set on eternity, the things that don’t matter fade in importance.
5. Philippians 4:11b-13
…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Have you ever had one of those days where everything got under your skin? We’ve all been there. We’ve felt irritated or annoyed and ended up complaining to our friends. Everyone has an occasional off day, but if that is your everyday reality, then your neural pathways are being trained to produce that result repeatedly. If your mind is conditioned to look for the negatives in every situation, you will be very unhappy. These verses provide hope. Paul says he found the secret to being content in every situation! Peace is not dependent on circumstances. You could have the worst day, and there might still be something to smile about. How?
Paul says the secret is the power of Christ. Through Him, you can have the strength to make it through every hard day, still knowing your hope and happiness cannot be crushed by things on this earth. Someone once called this “being sassy with Satan.” It’s okay to talk back to the Father of Lies and reject both false hope and false desperation. You might still have an inner narrative commentating on what you wished would have happened differently. But that narrative doesn’t have the ultimate authority. If it’s making you miserable, talk back. Ask Jesus for the strength to reject the lies and lean on His truth. And when it feels impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel, remember you don’t have to. He is the one who gives strength, so ask Him to help when you cannot find that power within yourself.
6. Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable
—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—
think about such things.
I love that Jesus doesn’t leave us hanging! When he says what not to do, He always tells us what we can replace it with! He states the lifestyles that will break our brains, and He also gives us healthier options that He designed for us.
Brain science says that what you think about impacts your daily life significantly. For example, engaging in simple daily gratitude practices, such as thinking about what you’re thankful for, can chemically alter your cognitive functions and even improve cardiovascular health and immune processes. Unfortunately, we’ve considered “thoughts” abstract, wishy-washy, and ineffectual for too long. Science proves that what you think about has power.
So no wonder Paul encourages believers to think about things that are lovely and noble and pure. God designed our bodies to respond positively when we do! He created our inner chemistry to explode with good reactions that benefit our mood and behavior. So these verses aren’t just an appeal not to read trashy magazines. These verses can change our brains and bodies when we trust God’s design and take it seriously!
7. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray continually,
give thanks in all circumstances; for
this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Have you ever eaten a delicious dish that your friend brought to the church potluck? Once you taste a dish like that, you’d give an arm and a leg to get your hands on the recipe. But what if they gave you their recipe for their famous award-winning chili, and you decided not to follow it? You might end up with some sub-par variation of chili, but it wouldn’t be award-winning. You can’t expect those results if you don’t follow the recipe.
So why do we expect to thrive in life when we don’t follow the recipe? Why do we ignore the instructions but still expect the same results? It’s foolishness. God created us, and then He gave us a book telling us how to live according to that design for optimal results. He knows what will make us feel happy, fulfilled, and satisfied. It must be frustrating to watch His children trying (and failing) to make up an award-winning chili recipe from scratch when He already gave us the best one in the book.
Paul wrote these few simple verses to give us a piece of that recipe. It’s easy to read these exhortations as empty little platitudes that would look nice if your grandma embroidered them on a pillow. But they’re not pointless or silly. Verses like these give us the recipe to live as God designed. This is God’s will for us. When we put these verses into practice, it activates our brain to work in the optimal ways that God designed. Brain science proves it!
Brain Science and the Bible: Scripture is Good for Our Brains
These are only seven small passages from Scripture that align with brain science, but there are hundreds more. The Bible is filled with verses that are written for our good. If you haven’t followed the recipe lately, it’s never too late to start! God built functions like neuroplasticity into our minds so that we always have the power to rewrite unhealthy pathways and restore health.
Theologian J.D. Walt says, “I’m beginning to think the field of neuroplasticity essentially says what Scripture seems to say, ‘We become what we behold.’ This has tremendous implications for worship. What if the essence of discipleship is training the brain to serve the mind of Christ?”
In the book, Switch On Your Brain, Dr. Caroline Leaf shares, “When you understand the power of your thought life…you truly begin to get a glimpse of how important it is to take responsibility for what you are thinking. God was so serious about us capturing our thoughts and renewing our minds that He gave us science as an encouragement” (p. 24).
It turns out brain science is proving what the Bible always said. This shows how benevolent and kind our God is. He didn’t just create humans and throw a little meat on our bones to get us through life. He cares so much about our bodies that He created them as sacred spaces where He can abide, and we can thrive. He planned every physical function and chemical reaction so we could experience a full and abundant life with Him.
So next time you read verses about hope or contentment, think about what those words mean physically. Is there a physical function of your body that aligns with the scriptural words you’re reading? Looking at the Bible through this lens has changed how I read it. It’s made me realize how many words I mistakenly read like abstract platitudes when He designed them to be a physical reality. Matter matters to God. Why else would he call his Church “the Body?” And why else would He have taken on human flesh? There’s something so spiritual about the physical. Maybe learning a bit of brain science can help us all see just how beautiful that is.
