Why does John gospel (12:39) tell us that the Pharisees “could not believe” in Jesus? Believing for many of them had become impossible. According to Christian doctor Caroline Leaf, a clinical neuroscientist specializing in research of psycho-neurobiology, any habit including addictions, can be reversed in approximately 63 days. When you’re stuck in the soup of depressing, self-destructive or fearful thought patterns you can overcome those patterns based on how you decide to think. The word of God encourages us to be anxious for nothing, to think on these things instead, and to take our random thoughts captive. Our mind is what communicates with God while expressing those thoughts to our brain, which affects our overall health.

Born again people have access to the mind of Christ (1Cor 2:16). You did not have this rich and exhaustive privilege prior to your born again experience. As we rethink and rehearse lies, tragedies and losses of our past, deep grooves of habitual thought form in our brain. If you turn your outdoor water faucet on and let it run for three weeks, that repeated flow will cut grooves into your yard. The same happens with our thoughts. Dr Leaf has discovered what your thoughts actually look like (You Tube: Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess - Dr leaf).

Enough was enough for many of the religious leaders two centuries ago. Isaiah (6:10) declared that God would harden the unbelieving Pharisaical hearts after they witnessed more than a few miracles, much like when God acknowledged Pharaoh’s hardened heart and made it even harder. Sometimes conviction is clearly felt when people initially hear the gospel. It may have been uncomfortable and difficult to ignore that first invitation, but the next time it becomes easier to ignore. The grooves are forming and if ignored, they turn into deep trenches. Many Pharisees could no longer believe.

God has provided a way of healthy thinking that leads to an overcoming life. May your thoughts and faith be strong.

In Jesus’ Name
Pastor Huck