As believers, we are instructed to renew our minds. You may have tried doing this, only to find that old thought patterns return again and again.
To understand why old thought patterns can be so hard to change, a bit of computer lingo and how the brain works:
Every morning when we wake up our brain 'boots up' from the files in its memory banks. These files will contain information such as: "I am a kind and honest person who gets along well with everybody." Or, it might be something like: “I suck, people hate spending time with me.” Might even be, “People think I’m a loser and today they will look down on me.” You get the idea. You see, not all of your brain is the consciousness. Actually, researchers are still trying to pin down exactly where consciousness is located. What they do know, is that a large part of the brain is a computer that has to make sense of the incoming signals via your ears, eyes, etc. Once the brain identified the new signals it then searches the 'memory banks' for previous conclusions regarding this type of data. Then it 'compiles' a little report for you regarding the incoming data just received.
And herein lies a big part of the problem, it goes to the past to interpret the present. Trouble is, the brain, wonderful as it is, usually doesn’t update automatically. It will continue to run on old 'scripts' until you, the operator, instruct it to update. Which is why we are instructed to renew our minds. It is not going to happen by itself and God expects us to take care of this.
So how to fix faulty thinking?
Identify
Rewrite
Repeat
For example, every time a negative thought, such as: "I'm worthless" should surface, you counter that with: "I am a child of the King, and so important to Him, He sent His Son to die for me."
or
"I cannot handle this." with, "I am no longer young and helpless. I've developed skills, and besides, God will strengthen and guide me."
Sometimes the renewing of a negative thought pattern happens quickly, usually though, it takes some time. Only, do not give up. Keep replacing the old bad scripts with the new updated and corrected scripts and in time the old neural pathways will begin to weaken as new ones are strengthening and your mind renews to what it was always meant to be.
Happy renewing,
Reen