Holy God – At a Pauline Tesler Training in New Orleans, I recently explored how the Triune Brain You created in me and all Your children operates to shape, direct, protect, preserve and help us to live in community with others.
I learned the Triune Brain You gifted humankind has three parts. At the floor of our brains is the so-called Primal or Reptilian Brain. When triggered, the Reptilian Brain causes us to be aggressive, to fight, take flight or play dead. Above the Reptilian Brain is The Limbic Brain. The Limbic Brain provides us the ability to love, to care for others and live in community with one another. Above the Limbic Brain is the Neo-Cortex which enables us to think, to plan and act in a rational and logical way.
As a Collaborative Divorce Attorney I see the scars caused in troubled marriages by mean looks, harsh words and abuse resulting from fear, anger, betrayal and breach of trust. At those emotionally charged moments the Neo-Cortex or Thinking Brain has gone entirely offline. The Reptilian Brain is completely in charge and not You and Your peace. At those times Your children are at their worst and commit grievous wrongs against You and others. At such moments modern science reports it takes women about 20 minutes and men about 40 minutes to relax and regain the use of the Neo-Cortex, the thinking part of their brains.
Almighty and merciful God, at those times when our Reptilian Brains are in charge, I pray that You draw us to be with You and Your love in prayer. For in prayer we and our Triune Brains will reconnect with and be governed by You, The Triune One, the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.
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Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120-lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to the Bending Angel website.
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