Philippines 4:8 Finally, believers, whatever is true and authentic, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect,… think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. (AMP)
The millennium is a “not enough” era. We struggle with the thoughts of inadequacy to accomplish our aspirations as we think we don’t have enough time, talent, riches or resources. “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Mother Teresa, Michelangelo, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”— H.J.Brown Jr. People who suffer from the “not enough” syndrome will miss out on what is important and will be obsessed with their cravings. Entitlement mentality and ingratitude will grip their heart.
Neuroscientists studied the brain of people who express gratitude and concluded that “Dopamine” is our brain’s pleasure chemical. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that sends messages of pleasure, satisfaction and motivation to our nervous system. Hence the more we ponder on grateful thoughts, the happier and healthier we will be. Gratitude optimistically impacts the quality of our life, relationships, ambitions and performance.
“Praise” and “thankfulness”, the expressions of gratitude to God should start from the moment we wake up. Dopamine must flood our mind, body, soul and spirit early every morning to kick start energy and efficacy before the demands of the day start pouting at us. Jesus healed ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19 but only one came back to thank Him. Jesus asked Where are the other nine? not because He needed recognition but as He wanted to heal their minds from the leprosy of “not-enough”, “inadequate”, “I’m less than” syndrome. Gratitude is like a spring. Honour and respect are like sweet water from a fresh spring of a grateful heart.
Three brain types and thought patterns:
- Passive: A passive brain has a slow start to the day. This person lives with a “ke-sara-sara” “whatever-will-be-will-be” attitude. Hence the urge to be grateful is dormant hence the entry of dopamine will only be in dribs and drabs. Such people should make a list of all that they are thankful and grateful for; take frequent breaks to meditate and appreciate their blessings. Gratitude will rewire the passivity into positivity.
- Impulsive: An impulsive brain is insulated by incidents. This person has a “yo-yo” attitude. They are happy, angry, sad or irritated based on what is happening to them. On happy days, dopamine will flood them. They will be thankful for the domicile, desk and dog but would complain about everything on “not-so-good-days”. Discipline will change an impulsive behaviour into an intentional behaviour. Writing down thoughts instead of speaking them out is a good technique to reset the impulsive reactions. Revisiting impulsive notes will regulate impulse reaction into intentional words.
- Decisive: No one is born with a decisive or ordered brain. Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). Training doesn’t stop once we reach adolescence. We would still have to train, learn and unlearn childishness in the areas that we are not matured. Those who don’t outgrow complaining, age into grumpy grandmas! Revamping and renewing our thoughts keeps our brain from rusting.
Discipline your mind to meditate on what is honorable and worthy of respect by disinfecting ingratitude.
Philippians 4:8b Think continually on these things.
Prayer: Father God, may ingratitude never rust my brain. Coach me to train my thoughts to meditate on whatever is honorable and worthy of respect. Amen
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