3 Key Ways to Walk in Faith on Your Brain Rewiring Journey

Feb 21

Recovering from chronic illness is a journey that encompasses both ebbs and flows. Although controversial, many practitioners are learning the power our brains have over health and healing. In fact, trauma—physical, emotional or spiritual—is often stored in the body, triggering a central nervous system response that wreaks havoc on immune function, endocrine hormones and a whole lot more. Even seemingly small trauma can set off a cascade of stress chemicals, leading to unwanted symptoms and unhelpful coping behaviors.

During times of challenge, holding onto a faith in God can be an important step in getting over the hump. But many times during coaching, I find that brain retrainers who believe in God are unsure exactly how to walk out their healing journey in faith. What does it mean to operate in faith even during those pesky hard days? Here are 3 key principles you can use on your faith-filled brain rewiring journey.

*Take one step forward towards the life you want.*

1. Faith takes action

Have you ever paid attention to how you use the word “faith”? Perhaps this sentence is familiar: “I have faith that God will…” More often than not, we use faith as a noun, a thing, something we either possess or we don’t. But when the rubber meets the road, faith is more like a verb. It’s a process. And how do you start? By taking a step and moving toward the life you want.

If you’ve experienced chronic illness from stored trauma that’s now triggering physical symptoms, the input your brain receives from the world can be alarming. Even the most innocuous stimuli can be misinterpreted as a crouching tiger waiting to pounce. But as you work your brain program and believe in your heart that you can change the way you think, act and see the world, you’re taking a step in faith. You’re believing in a new way of being, operating out of joy and peace before you can physically feel the changes. That’s faith in action.

The truth is God wants you well. He wants to bless your brain and body so you’re operating in health. He is a healer. Acknowledging His goodness and faithfulness, not just intellectually but on a heart level, is a powerful place to begin. And now you get the opportunity to say you believe that’s true.

2. Faith takes patience

When your brain and body systems are malfunctioning, the symptoms are often painful, uncomfortable and sometimes just downright scary. I know, I’ve been there. And if you’re like most people experiencing unwanted symptoms, you didn’t get like this overnight. It took time—maybe years or even your entire life—to spiral to this point.

*Don’t rush, stop when you are acting out of impatience.*

The same can be said for healing; it takes time to heal. I know that’s hard to hear when all you want is to feel better right now. But that desire to rush to the finish line of recovery is really just a fear response from your brain that will slow you down. Let me say it again: acting out of impatience will never lead to healing through faith since it’s not in line with God’s character.

What do I mean? In Galatians 5:22, patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit, a characteristic God gives you when you’re operating under His law. It can be a little hard for us to imagine, but like I’ve said before, God is love. In fact, He is agape (unconditional) love, and love is described first and foremost as patient (1 Corinthians 13:4). So if you’re finding patience in short supply, remind yourself that the Spirit gives life (John 6:63) and a mind focused on the world leads to destruction (Romans 8:6-7)

Two of the most powerful verses I heeded very intentionally to heal through faith were Hebrews 6:11-12

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

3. Faith takes practice

If you’ve gone through a brain rewiring program, you’ve probably learned the brain is a pattern recognition organ. That means the brain looks for patterns in your environment to prove your thoughts, feelings, behaviors and beliefs are true.

Think of it this way: every moment your brain receives input, it creates a chemical signature associated with your experience. Over time, the body becomes conditioned to the chemicals it receives from the brain, so much so that eventually the body—not the brain—starts running the show. Yes, you read that right: unless you interrupt the process, the body tells the brain how to think and feel.

*Keep practicing until the new state takes complete hold*

That means if you’ve unknowingly sowed destructive thought patterns or limiting beliefs like condemnation, self-hate, unworthiness, scarcity and more, you’re creating the perfect setting for dysregulation and sickness. But when you recognize those behaviors and thoughts as just that—old pathways—and start stepping out in a new direction, you’re practicing that faith muscle.

Unfortunately, the brain doesn’t accept a new way of thinking and feeling after just one or two tries. Instead, you have to redirect old thought patterns and insert new beliefs over and over again until they take hold. God never wastes an opportunity. This repetition is exactly how your faith can grow stronger and stronger.

Walking out a neuroplastic program in faith is definitely easier said than done! But learning how to hold onto the truth in God’s Word and then behaving as though the recovery has already taken place is integral for lifelong transformation. Hang in there, friend. You can do it! Victory is yours!

*Keep going until you are in love with life again and are on the mountaintop - you can do it, victory is yours!*

Need some extra guidance?

If you’d like more help combining Christ-centered teaching with your neuroplastic healing journey, I’d love to come alongside you. I currently offer one-on-one coaching tailored specifically to your needs.

Reflect

How well do you believe in your heart God will fulfill his promises to you?

What steps can you take to grow your faith in the waiting?

(Hint: Faith becomes effective by acknowledging every good thing that is in us in Christ Jesus - Philemon 1:6 - so start there!)

Key Scripture

Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].
Hebrews 11:1 AMP