The Gift in You: Discovering New Life Through Gifts Hidden in Your Mind (19 page)

You cannot control the event, but you can control your reaction to the event. Repentance (for hanging on) and forgiveness are the ideal reactions to stop toxic unforgiveness from growing. We need to make it a habit to wire repentance and forgiveness into our brains.

God wants to protect our brains and does not want us getting worked up about little things.

Repentance and forgiveness stop nervousness and worry, leading to harmful anxiety disorders and all the other potential manifestations.

Repentance and forgiveness are how we recognize that we are not walking this road alone - you and God are in this together.

Repentance and forgiveness put God back on the throne so He can do what He is supposed to do and you can do what you are supposed to do.

To break the gift-blocker of toxic unforgiveness we must:

1. Use the discomfort zones to help identify and acknowledge the gift-blocking toxic unforgiveness.
   

1. Repent for growing toxic unforgiveness.
   

1. Forgive, yourself and others.
   

1. Rewire
   

1. Never do this without prayer and the help of the Holy Spirit – like any process, overcoming this gift blocker will change your life.
   

Summary

When the seeds of toxic thoughts, emotions, words, choices, dreams, unforgiveness, love, touch, health, seriousness and schedules are "planted and watered" in the soil of fear, they take root in a powerful way. Sometimes it is difficult to recognize that even a small seed can grow to become a significant gift-blocker.

However, as you have seen from the previous chapters, this is exactly what happens. All the gift blockers grow from a tiny seed planted somewhere, somehow, at sometime. They become watered by the attention we give them with our thoughts and, unless dealt with, grow into gift-blockers and produce bad fruit in our lives.

This is where Romans 7:15-26 is so helpful:

Romans 7:15-25 (The Message)

^14-16
I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself - after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.

^17-20
But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

^21-23
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.

²⁴
I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that
theal
question?

²⁵
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

When we rewire, we are planting new seeds and watering and growing new thoughts.

Like any process, it can take time, but with the
neuroplasticity
God has so graciously built into the function of our brain, you really can achieve lasting change. Never forget: you can change your brain and release your gift. So, plant new seed and walk in confidence that change can happen-we can see it in Scripture, just as we can in science.

CONCLUSION

What scientists and researchers, with their new tools and techniques of evaluation and analysis have discovered recently may leave you stunned. This book was birthed in that arena to stun you and excite you and motivate you into recognizing the truth: God has given you the gift of free will empowering you to be in control of the very thing that creates everything about who you are: your thought life.
He has truly given you a piece of eternity.
May you take this gift, your piece of eternity, and use it for the great things it was designed for and take your place in changing the world.
Now that you've discovered the structure of your gift and how to identify any potential gift-blockers that may be standing in your way of walking fully in your gift, what's next? Since your gift is unique, how you process the potential of your gift will also be unique.
If you would like to concentrate on overcoming any gift-blockers that you have identified, I would encourage you to read my book, Who Switched Off My Brain? Controlling Toxic Thoughts and Emotions, for more guidance and a step-by-step process.
And, because I think it is so important for you to have the tools for lasting change, I have developed a series of exercises to help you break free from toxic thinking and launch into your gift.
So, I invite you to visit the secure site
www.drleaf.net/detox
online and download this special guide as my gift to you.

READER BONUS!

Online
Detox
Guide

After you have discovered the structure of your unique gift, don't let gift-blockers stand in the way of who you were created to be.

I have developed a unique devotional to help you take the first steps toward walking fully in your gift.
 

Love,

Caroline

To access this powerful resource, simply enter this secure site in your web browser: drleaf.net/
detox

An exclusive guide to breaking toxic patterns and stepping into your gifting is available online, free for download.

Launch into your future with confidence!

I want to thank the amazing team at
Inprov
for making this book happen, including all those whose names aren't included here.
I especially want to thank my friend and editor, Carolyn - you have really used your gift with excellence. You are amazing, and I am blessed to work with you.
Thanks to Amy Williams, Cody Phillips,
Leyna
Hutchinson, Jessica Arnold, and Renee Cook, for all the hours and effort you have put into getting this project together in record time and with such a spirit of excellence.
Thanks to Jimmy and Terry - you both use your gifts to bring out others' gifts. Thank you both for believing in me.
Thanks to Dr. Peter
Amua-Quarshie
who spent hours talking through the manuscript and getting excited along with me as we explored the magnificent workings of the brain. Thanks for sharing my passion and for your expertise.
Thanks to Kayla, my assistant, who spent many hours running around with all the behind-the-scenes things that happen when a book is written; thank you for listening to my ideas and reading the manuscript. You have really helped me.
Thanks to my
husbandac
, who spent hours listening to my ideas, helping me with the research and reading and rereading my manuscript. I am so grateful for the oneness we experienced in this project to reach out to others together with this message of hope.
And last, but not least, I want to thank my four amazing children who sacrificed so much "mom-time" so I could finish this book. Jessica, Dominique, Jeffrey and
Alexy
, you fill my heart with joy.

END NOTES:

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