Did you know that prayer can literally change your brain?
Neuroscientists are continually making connections with new discoveries and truths we read in Scripture. When we spend intentional time in loving connection with God, it strengthens the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)—the part of your brain responsible for empathy, compassion, and emotional regulation. At the same time, it reduces activity in the amygdala—the brain’s “fear centre,” which is what sends us spiralling into stress and anxiety.
Translation?
The more time you spend in the presence of Love Himself,
the less power fear has over you.
You might recognise this from 1 John 4:18: “Perfect love drives out fear.”
This isn’t just a poetic statement; it’s a biological reality. When we focus on God’s love—when we truly soak in it—our brains physically begin to rewire. Fear pathways weaken. Peace pathways strengthen. And slowly but surely, the fruit of that shows up in our thoughts, our emotions, and our daily lives.
Whoop! But… it’s not as simple as just gritting our teeth and choosing to “stop fearing.” Fear thrives in the vacuum of uncertainty so it needs to be replaced.
If fear, stress, or worry have been running the show lately, don’t just try to push them out. Instead, invite God’s presence in.
Instead of rehearsing worst-case scenarios, meditate on God’s faithfulness.
Instead of drowning in fear, pause to dwell on His love.
Instead of feeding your mind with uncertainty, declare His promises over your life.
You might think that week on week I send out these messages from a place of nailing each and every one. Clearly not so. So here’s a live example from me. This morning, my mind was going into overload with mental lists and physical laundry piles ever-increasing. There’s some things I’m waiting to hear about and the reality is, they’re all out of my control, but they’re dominating my thoughts somewhat and… not always in a super helpful way.
So I turned to God’s word. I actually started by listening to a sermon on a podcast while walking the dog. Several things about this were good.
Moving my body, walking, is a particularly good way of helping our minds chill out. The alternating rhythmic pattern promotes cross-hemispheric communication which helps integrate emotional and cognitive processing.
For part of this time I listened to a podcast. While my hubby is one of my favourite preachers, I kinda know a lot of what he’s going to say. So from time to time it’s really great to shake things up by listening to a new voice.
After the sermon was finished, I didn’t switch to another, or put music on. I didn’t rush to fill the void. I walked in silence and allowed my thoughts to bounce around intermingled as internal prayer, out-loud prayer, and silent ponderings.
My dog makes me happy. He is a natural joy-sparker in my world. Watching him run and be in his happy place in the woods releases dopamine for me and seeing him wag his tail and gleefully check in with me actually fires some of the same neural circuits in me as if I was the sniffing out squirrels and having the best time splashing in the stream.
This time outside emotionally and mentally pressed ‘reset’ for me, so I was ready to come back and ask Holy Spirit how the rest of the day was supposed to pan out rather than automatically go into ‘productivity mode’ and stress about all the things “I had to do”.
And here’s the verses that helped me replace the icky-meh with peace and steadiness. Maybe they’ll bless you too:
“David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.””
1 Chronicles 28:20 NIV
How great is that verse?! So good!
So why not try this: The next time fear creeps in, pause and pray for one minute. Just sixty seconds. Focus completely on God’s presence and His love for you. Picture Him with you—near, safe, unshakable. Then notice how your heart begins to slow, your breath steadies, and your mind clears.
He is love. And He is always present. God’s not gone anywhere, sometimes we just need to remind ourselves of that fact.
What’s one fear you need to surrender to God’s perfect love today? Comment below—I’d love to pray for you.
Friend, prayer doesn’t just lift your worries to God; it reshapes your inner world. Over time, you’ll find that fear no longer calls the shots because love has taken up residence in the deepest places of your mind and heart.
Praying for truth and peace to cover you,
Em
This is good.
I would also like to note that what she calls “rewiring the brain” is what neuroscientists call neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity means the brain is not fixed but can change over time. Every time we repeat a thought, emotion, or practice, the brain strengthens those neural pathways—like carving a groove in the mind. At the same time, unused pathways can weaken and fade. This is why habits, prayer, meditation, and intentional practices don’t just “inspire us”—they physically reshape the brain’s wiring.
Most people, when they pray, pray for resolution of whatever is troubling them. That is called intercessory prayer. The difficulty is that this kind of prayer keeps the problem itself at the center of consciousness—your mind rehearses the worry even as you are offering it to God.
Centering prayer works differently. It shifts the focus away from problems and toward God’s presence. The practice is simple: you choose a sacred word—many use “Love”—and whenever your mind wanders, you gently return to that word in silence. Over time, this strengthens the brain’s pathways of peace and weakens the grip of fear and stress. Even adding a soft smile while doing this can reinforce the rewiring; the physical act of smiling activates neural circuits of calm and safety, telling the brain “you are secure.”
In this way, silence, the word “Love,” and even a smile can do more than soothe in the moment. They actually help reshape the brain so that love and peace, not fear and worry, become the default response.
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This was such a gift from the Lord to me. Thank you for your obedience to share.
That verse was exactly what I needed to hear from the Lord!! Thank you!!