This is Your Brain on...Negativity

Complaining causes brain damage. True story. According to INC Magazine, researchers are finding that overly negative talk is bad for the brain. In fact, listening to 30 minutes or more of a negative message peels away neurons in an area of the brain called the hippocampus. One author describes it in saying, “Basically, (negativity) turns your brain to mush.”

This isn’t a surprise to Christian folk. We’ve known for a long time that incessant negativity does more harm than good. In the first century, the Apostle Paul encouraged Christians to avoid negativity as a way of witnessing to the world. Paul wrote, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky,” (Philippians 2:14-15). It seems that positivity and harmony let the world know we are children of God.

Paul (and many other Christians) promote positivity and constructive behavior for other reasons too. Christians serve and worship a God of resurrection and redemption. Reading the end of the Gospels, we find our God smack dab in the midst of the most negative of situations (crucifixion). Instead of responding to the negativity with more negativity, Jesus miraculously turns it into something positive and good. The cross becomes the resurrection. In response, Jesus' people look for good, resurrection type things – even in the most negative of situations.

As you go through the coming week, look for positive things to celebrate. Compliment a co-worker on their work. Tell someone about the ways God has blessed you. Approach a challenging situation looking for constructive solutions instead of focusing on the problems. As you do, you will see the God of the resurrection at work in your life. You also might just do your brain some good.