A 2006 study by Peter M.Gollwitzer and Paschal Sheeran observed a fascinating and terrifying reality in the human brain. Over the past several years you may or may not have heard about the brain’s dopamine response theory. But advances in neuroscience (brain science) have exploded over the past decade. Dopamine is a transmitter, a chemical response in the brain and is most often associated with the feeling of reward and pleasure. When something feels satisfying to you, your brain is processing dopamine: When you scroll on social media, <dopamine>, when you read a good book, <dopamine>. Good conversation, <dopamine>. You get the point..
Here is where things get scary. Thinking about doing something often produces a similar dopamine response as doing the thing itself. That means thinking about starting a business and how successful it could be, creates a similar pleasure as actually having a successful business. Why is that scary? It means we humans often think about doing a good thing and never actually do it. In fact, the struggle of doing something good is often far harder than just sitting in bed thinking about it.
That is fascinating, Aaron; why are you telling us this when discussing serving? I tell you this because: thinking about getting into some ministry or serving opportunity might prevent you from actually doing it. Yes, your brain will give you a nice little boost of dopamine for a second, but do you know what dopamine is really bad at? Dopamine can’t provide that deep, meaningful feeling of a well-lived life. Don’t let the idea of serving prevent you from actually doing it.
Take a moment to read this fascinating text. It’s almost like James knows about the risk of our dopamine response:
James 1:22-25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
by Aaron Bjorklund
