Week 1

Thought Chemistry 101

Paul R. Chipman

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Day 6

It’s the Thought that Counts! Part 2

In light of the fact that our negative thoughts tend to outnumber our positive at a ratio of three to one or 75%. It begs the question what is the origin of negative thoughts. As humorous as it may sound, the genesis of negative thoughts, finds in origin in the Book of Genesis. Here is recorded an intriguing conversation between two most unlikely characters: a talking serpent and a woman named Eve—the wife of Adam. Satan embodied a serpent and spoke to Eve. Satan manipulated Eve’s thoughts convincing her to disobey the cardinal commandment of God to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. The serpent said to the woman,

You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. (Genesis 3:4-7).

It is noteworthy to observe that Satan did not coerce Eve into disobeying God. He simply manipulated her thinking, which affected her emotions and attitude, which in turn, produced her disobedient behavior. Observe the progression, T.E.A.=B. Satan impelled Eve to question the goodness of God by causing her to think that God was selfishly withholding something good from her by forbidding her to eat the forbidden fruit. Later that day, God comes looking for Adam and Eve and lovingly asks them why they did not keep their prescribed appointment with him. The scene opens,

They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:8-13)

Thought Starters *Answer all questions, reflections and assessments on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Reexamine the text and see if you are capable of identifying specific and implied toxic emotions as indicated by Adam and Eve’s words and actions. Write them in the space provided as they appear in the text.

v. 10 We see Fear and g___________t and sh________________e.

2. What happens to the relationship between Adam and Eve? What did they begin doing to one another.(v,12) ______________________

3. Whom does Eve blame? _____________________________________

4. Whom does Adam blame? ___________________________________

5. More negative thoughts erupt as evidenced in Cain killed his brother Abel in Genesis 4. For someone to kill his brother it does not take a great deal of imagination to figure out the kind of heinous thoughts Cain must have been thinking. ________________________

From the aforementioned passages, it becomes clear that subsequent to the fall, and the introduction of sin into the world, Adam’s innocence was lost and his heart was defiled and darkened by sin. Because of Adam’s federal headship, when he sinned, all mankind inherited his sinful nature. Observe God’s critique, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). In light of sins negative impact on your thoughts, you shall now learn how positive and negative thoughts impact your brain.

How the Brain Processes Thoughts

How the brain processes thoughts is very fascinating. “Thoughts are basically electrical impulses, chemical and neurons.”[2] The human brain is made up of approximately 100 billion (100,000,000,000) neurons.[3] Despite their vast number, they travel through the brain at the speed of 268 miles per hour.[4]

According to Wright and Leaf, “Thoughts follow specific pathways in the brain. When a thought occurs, the part of the brain called the thalamus goes to work making sense of the information and running it through the part of the brain that stores memories, the amygdala.” [5] “The amygdala is much like a library and is responsible for the first emotional response to any thought. It activates and arouses you to do something.” [6]

It is in the amygdala’s database that one’s thoughts take on emotions or feeling. For example, suppose a Christian were to think about a scenario in which, let us say, company executives made the decision to close the division in which he worked because it was not generating enough profits. Resulting in all employees’ being offered a compensation package and immediately released. That event would be stored in his amygdala’s database. Each time he thinks about that event, the thalamus carries that thought to his amygdala— his emotional memory bank of the event. If he felt being laid off was the best thing that could have happened because it led him to finding his dream job or starting his own business, his emotional memory would be one of immense joy, gratitude or satisfaction.

However, if he felt his layoff was unjustifiable in light of the many years he contributed to the company’s success. He would probably feel grave emotional pain. The amygdala would route his thoughts to a negative painful place in his memory bank. Those painful memories would release toxic chemicals into his brain and his body. These toxic thoughts would result in a toxic attitude, which would produce some form of toxic behavior. This is the process of how the brain interacts with one’s thoughts to produce emotions, attitudes and behaviors.

Thought Starters: *Answer all questions, reflections and assessments on a separate sheet of paper.

1. We all have emotional wounds and scars filed away in our emotional libraries. Without dredging up all the negative emotions, think about one or two experience that tap into a plethora of your worst emotions. _____________________________________________

2. The Bible in the book of Hebrews commands believers to guard their emotions and , “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled” (Hebrews 12:15). In your opinion, could the writer be referencing the amygdala? Explain ____________________________

3. Whom do you need to forgive; can you see how these negative memories are causing a plethora of negative thought and toxic emotions? ____________________________________

Assignment:

1. Continue to memorize Philippians 4:6. Quote the verse to yourself, several times daily until you have it memorized. You have no new verses until week two. In week two you will begin memorizing Philippians 4:7. Carry the card with you everywhere you go. Perhaps you can make several cards and place one in your car, kitchen refrigerator, your computer screen at work and at home and do not forget the bathroom.

2. Keep visualizing the see saw illustration of the brain and balancing negative thoughts.

3. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and transform your thoughts as He empowers you to do ALL the things entailed in this twenty-one day plan.

Copyright 2014 by Paul R. Chipman

http://www.thinkrightliveright.com/