Brain Wars and Mind Control ~ blog

After an extensive amount of study … about 5 minutes online with Google, I learned that experts estimate that our minds think around 60,000 – 80,000 thoughts a day. That averages out to 2,500 – 3,300 thoughts an hour or 48 thoughts per second.

I am no scientist but that seems like a lot more than my 66-year-old brain is doing.  However, some scientists say that the information transmission rates of our senses to be 11 million bits per second.  However, the conscious mind seems to only to be able to process 50 bits per second.

I figure if I am processing 1 bit per second, I am having a good day unless I choose to think on that 1 bit for a while and things slow way down.  Sure, there are millions of nerve endings sending messages to my brain.  The information coming in through my eyes alone is purported to be 10,000,000 bits per second.  So, if my brain needs a rest, I just need to close my eyes.

We have been talking about the problem we all face in recovery of dealing with our thoughts. I have learned from my own recovery of 14+ years that our thoughts, or the battle for our brain, is one of the most difficult things we need to overcome.

For many, we face this battle daily at night when we are trying to go to sleep.  Our mind wants to drift into fantasy land, or we use our memories or our ability to fantasize to visualize sexual things.  How does one stop that habit that we have used for years? Or, we are going through our day and suddenly we see someone we find attractive and we begin to lust over them. How can we change these patterns of thought that have become so ingrained in our brains?

First, we need to realize that we have a choice in what we think about.  Just because we see something or think something does not mean we have to focus on it.  I cannot always help what I see … but I choose what I look at.  I cannot stop certain thoughts or ideas that pop into my mind … but I can choose what I think about.

In his second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 10, Paul makes a statement about the solution to letting our thoughts control us and lead us back to our sexual brokenness.  He says;

“… we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ …”

Quite frankly … I like that idea but have found it a very difficult thing to do.  This is true for several reasons.  Our minds are bombarded with thoughts and images we see around us every day.  Thanks to our world of advertising, media, social media, entertainment and such, we see alluring images every day. Watch a football game on Saturday and we most certainly see a video of the crowd and an occasional cheerleader to keep our lusts on alert.

Add to that the adult bookstore we have created in our brains and memory and we find ourselves on sexual alert every day.  Even going to church can be an issue for some as fashion always seem to lean in the direction of what can you wear for others to notice you and certain parts of your body. We should be able to join in worship without another cleavage alert showing up.

However, taking every thought captive is something we can improve upon.  Here are two things that I have developed the ability to do which have been helpful for me.  As I have practiced these two things, I have found my ability to capture sexually alluring thoughts grow stronger.

First – For years now I have developed a habit of thought so that if I see a sexually attractive person I do not lust after them.  I know there is the behavioral modification suggestion of bouncing your eyes and looking away or snapping a rubber band on your wrist to create some instant pain.

These practices are helpful in avoiding your desires to fall into lust … but they do not solve the heart problem. So, I learned that what I need to do is appreciate the fact that this person is attractive and even beautiful.  I say to myself, in my head if in public and out loud if I am alone;

“Father, thank You that You made that person beautiful.  They are created in the image of God and therefore I need to honor both You and her as being made in the image of God.  Therefore, I do not have the right to dishonor You or her by seeing her as an object for my lusts to consume and throw away.” 

Why ignore the obvious and instead of lusting after that person you give credit to God’s creative ability and have respect for that person as someone created in the image of God?

Part of the problem is our culture encourages us to view people as a commodity and something to be consumed.  We dehumanize people and see them as objects we can use and abuse in our minds.  Instead, we need to honor and respect each other.

The second thing I have learned to do is to use Scripture meditation to combat sexual thoughts or fantasies that lead me back to sexual sin.  This will be our subject for tomorrow.

 

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