Training our brains

August 28, 2025

From Jackie Payne

On the last day of 2024, we replaced my 20-year-old Honda Odyssey. It was time to let it rest and to get a “new” car, a GMC Acadia. When we had the Odyssey, I saw them everywhere, all different colors. Now that I have an Acadia, which I didn’t even know existed until we got one, I see them everywhere. I can now pick out an Acadia from a line up.

Because I have this car now and because I know it, I can not only recognize it, but my brain also automatically finds it in traffic, at stop lights, in parking lots. I just see GMC Acadias wherever I go, whether I’m trying to or not (usually not…I don’t really care about cars).

The same is with God. When we talk about thinking about God all throughout the day or praying without ceasing, that takes some work on our part. We can’t just expect God to be at the fore front of our minds if we aren’t willing to intentionally spend time with Him and train ourselves to think about Him. Through cracking open our Bible to listening to “Jesus music” to praying to having conversations about or reading spiritual things, we must be intentional.

What do you want to focus on today? Do you seriously want it to be Jesus? Then seriously take the time to evaluate what you are doing. Are you filling your brain with things that focus you on Jesus?

Philippians 4:8 says:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

May you and I make room for these good things, the things of Jesus, to be the things that fill our brains and catch our attention throughout the day.