Life experiences change the brain. As we learn new things, brain cells sprout new branches and make new connections. These synaptic connections create new pathways on which nerve impulses travel.
Learning new things is like forming a path through an open field. If you walk through a meadow, following the same route many times, you will tromp down the weeds and create a path. The more you use that pathway, the more entrenched it becomes.
Choosing to obey God also produces pathways. The more you travel paths of righteousness, the easier it gets for your brain to go that way.
Disobeying God creates alternate pathways. The more you make wrong turns and choose sin-pathways, the easier it becomes for your brain to go that way again.
Sin is not caused by the brain but is reflected in brain cell networks. Sinful choices leave marks – changes in synaptic connections. When too many pathways lead to the amygdala (anger center) unrighteous rage erupts. If too many connections lead to the nucleus accumbens (pleasure center) addictions corrupt healthy ways to find pleasure.
Spiritual growth, on the other hand, can be reflected by building healthy behavioral choice pathways to the prefrontal cortex, the region responsible for reasoned responses. Growing connections to the prefrontal cortex, through spiritual experience and religious practice, may facilitate wise choices.
So, open your mind to God. Meditate on the life of Jesus. Read something that stirs your spirit. Brain cells will spout in new directions.
It may be hard at first. Treading out a new pathway though a meadow may cause scratches and bruising. Likewise, building new behavioral choice pathways around your brain may provoke annoyance and frustration at times; but God never promised an easy path. He promised the Holy Spirit to comfort you along the way.
For a video clip of brain cell pathways, click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRLhlf6hDgU
Breaking Through Depression and Anxiety 
I find it hard doing the right thing some times. I repeatedly do the same wrong things, each time feeling guilt, but never really learning from my mistakes. I also can justify just about anything in my head, which I know deep down is not necessarily a good thing.
I come from a Christian background so I really have no excuse for some of my actions. I believe the reason I do some of the things I do is a way of acting out, and also feel like no matter what I do I’ll never be happy so why not just be spiritually miserable. Also, I am used to doing the same wrong thing, so like you said the wrong path has become easier and easier to take. This wrong thing that I’m doing is not as bad as I am making it out to be, but it still really bothers me that I have become so capable of doing it.
It is obvious to me that I should probably go back to church to redefine my Christian roots but no one will go with me. My husband is not at all religious (He hates religion and Church), which makes my spiritual growth even more difficult. Doc Hall, how can I become a better person? One that doesn’t feel guilt all the time.
What a beautiful comment. It is surprisingly refreshing to hear someone write so openly and honestly.
I believe that most Christians feel a lot like you. Even the apostle Paul said: “Why do I keep doing the things I do not want to do?” If he couldn’t figure it out, I doubt that you or I will.
Maybe it’s your life-long struggle – not a bad thing to continue striving to please God. Good guilt motivates good behavior. Bad guilt leads to isolation and obsession. I hope that you spend more time in the former and less in the later.
When it comes to church, it is good to interact with people who share your struggles, but a smaller group may be more comfortable for you. Ask a friend to go to a Bible study. Many churches post them on their websites. Others are noted on sites like meetups.com.
Accept Forgiveness and Refocus
In reading a book of prayers by Henri Nouwen, I came across some thoughts about changing focus:
“Dear Lord, this afternoon I shared my feelings of guilt and sinfulness with one of the monks. He gave me good advice. He kept urging me to move away continually from introspection and self preoccupation and to concentrate on expressing my love for you.”
As Easter approaches, this is a good time for Christians to find some quiet time and refocus the sacrifice and forgiveness offered by Christ. Let it be a time to experience the emotions that come with receiving that forgiveness.
I hope that non-believers, too, might reflect on the sacrifice of the historical figure, Jesus. Think on this concept: a man of great power suffered unfairly to bring forgiveness and hope to the undeserving.
Henri Nouwen. A Cry for Mercy. Doubleday. New York, 1981
Thanks Doc Hall. I’m glad you wrote back.
I went to church the past two Sundays Doc Hall. Happy about that. I kind of like the big gatherings of people. Anyways hope all is well with you.
As a Catholic as well as a Registered Nurse, I found your comments about Sin on the Brain so very interesting. If we can train our brain into using positive pathways, I guess it means that we can train ourselves to be happy.by doing things that will make us happy. It reminds me of the old saying that when you are going through something terrible that you should learn to be happy again by “faking it” until it becomes real. But from my own experience, it seems that sometimes it is difficult to let go of something because you fear that then it will lose its significance.