1 CORINTHIANS 14:13-15 Therefore, he who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say the “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? [Revised Standard translation]
Summary: The significance of Paul’s comments in 1 Corinthians13-15 provides much food for thought.
Some consider these verses as Paul’s desire to provide some “guidelines” regarding the use of the Spiritual gift of tongues. There is the suggestion that those who possessed this unusual spiritual gift were so caught up in their own ability to speak “in a tongue” that they were only edifying themselves, especially if they did not understand what they were saying and no one else understood what they were saying either. To Paul, unless the spiritual gift “benefits” “the church body or someone in the church,” the gift serves no one. And, in order to benefit someone, including the speaker, someone needs to interpret. Therefore, Paul suggests that the gift of speaking in tongues and the gift of the interpretation of tongues should go hand in hand. Without both, there is no mental understanding or mind connection.
Others view this passage as a reminder of the importance of all spiritual gifts; to emphasize that gifts are not our own personal “property;” and to stress that we are given all gifts to “Glorify GOD” and “to benefit the church body.”
Other may see 1 Corinthians 14: 13-15 as Paul making a connection between prayer, spirit and mind. Sometimes people try to segregate their spiritual experience from their thinking. For example, sometimes people see work as more of a “mind” arena rather than a “spiritual” arena. Such people may come to church to pray and to have a “spiritual experience” but if asked if they ever pray at work or had a spiritual experience at work, they might say no. Sometimes people have the spiritual experience when they sing or pray, but they may not think of the implications of what they are saying because they have “disengaged their mind.” For example, when we pray or sing, “THY Will Be Done” or “LORD, I’m Available To YOU,” do the words reach the mind or are we just “caught up” in the spirit? Do we think about what it would mean for GOD to ask us to “bear a cross?” Can we “have the mind” of CHRIST (See Philippians 2:5) such that we have the “humility” and “servant nature” to allow GOD to take control?
1 Corinthians 14: 13-15 reminds us that prayer and spiritual communion with GOD requires connecting the mind and the spirit, when we pray.
Connecting Exercise and Mind
Although many understand the physical connection between exercise and the body, people often forget about the positive impact that exercise can have on the mind.
In “Regular exercise changes the brain to improve memory, thinking skills,” Heidi Godman, Executive Editor of Harvard Health Letter, reported on a study done at the University of British Columbia, showing that regular aerobic exercise, the kind that gets your heart rate up and your sweat glands pumping, also improves the size of the hippocampus, the area of the brain that has to do with verbal memory and thinking skills. See, http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110. According to Godman, this is exciting news since one new case of dementia is detected every four seconds globally. And, there are estimates that by the year 2050, there may be at least 115 million people with dementia worldwide. Id.
According to the study, some of the direct benefits of exercise include:
- Reduction of insulin resistance;
- Reduced inflammation;
- The stimulation of the growth of new blood vessels in the brain; and
- The abundance and survival of new brain cells.
Studies showed that when people exercised the volume of the area controlling thinking and memory increased and the increase was greater in the brains of those who exercised than in those who did not exercise.
Some of the indirect benefits of exercise on the mind include:
- Improved mood;
- Improved sleep;
- Reduction in stress; and
- Reduction in anxiety.
Godman suggests that if you don’t believe that exercise can improve your mind, put it to the test. Start exercising for about 120 minutes (e.g., 1 hour, twice a week). Track your progress and see what mental changes you notice. If you are not used to exercising, you may have to start slowly until you reach the 120 minute exercise goal.
Additional studies have suggested that exercise may lower a person’s risk for Alzheimer’s disease and even slow brain aging by at least 10 years. See, “The Simple Reason Exercise Enhances The Brain,” by Alexander Sifferlin, April 26, 2017. See, http://time.com/4752846/exercise-brain-health/.
If you have a disability or other medical problems, speak to your personal physician about what kind of exercise program would work for you.
Prepare Your Mind for Action:
The Bible encourages us to prepare our minds.
Therefore, prepare your minds for action….
See: 1 Peter 13:1 [New International translation]
Think about it. Pray about it. Use your spiritual gifts. And, BE BLESSED!
