{"id":39580,"date":"2024-11-20T09:00:28","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T17:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=39580"},"modified":"2024-11-20T09:01:04","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T17:01:04","slug":"dopamine-as-the-fuel-for-faiths-transformative-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/dopamine-as-the-fuel-for-faiths-transformative-power\/","title":{"rendered":"Dopamine as Fuel for Faith\u2019s Transformative Power"},"content":{"rendered":"

The New Job Offer!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sarah is a single mom and workforce professional who has dedicated years of hard work in a job that doesn\u2019t fully satisfy her, but she needs the income to feed her children, so she stays. The new boss recognizes her and gives her an offer for a new position with better pay, more autonomy, and the promise of greater responsibility. As soon as she gets the offer, excitement rushes through her. She will soon move out of the \u201cget by\u201d lifestyle and into one of thriving. Dopamine floods her brain\u2014she’s filled with anticipation and a sense of achievement, eagerly imagining all the successes she’ll experience in the new role.<\/p>\n

However, the initial thrill begins to fade after accepting the offer and starting the job. The reality sets in: the \"\"<\/a> new\u00a0position comes with a mountain of paperwork, challenging relationships with coworkers, and the pressure to perform. To make matters worse, she is expected to arrive earlier and stay later than she used to. Her pay raise no longer amounts to an increase because of the additional childcare support that she must address.<\/p>\n

The dopamine rush of anticipation disappears, replaced by the chemicals tied to the mundane “here and now”\u2014stress, routine, and the pressure of meeting expectations. What once seemed like the dream job now feels more like just another day at the office, and the excitement she once felt has fizzled.<\/p>\n

More, More, More!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Authors Daniel Lieberman and Michael Long, who penned The Molecule of More,<\/em> delve into the science behind dopamine\u2014the brain’s motivator for desire, ambition, and the pursuit of “more.” Dopamine is the chemical that causes us to seek new experiences, to push for success, and to chase after satisfaction.[1]<\/a> However, this unending quest for more can often leave us feeling unfulfilled, especially when the counter \u201chere and now\u201d chemicals take hold and remove the feeling of joy and excitement.[2]<\/a><\/p>\n

Dopamine and Faith<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As people of faith, our desires should not be fueled by short-term dopamine highs but by a deeper, lasting satisfaction found in aligning our passions with God\u2019s purpose. While dopamine shapes our motivations, followers of Jesus are called to discipline themselves to redirect these desires toward a higher calling, offering fulfillment beyond temporary cravings.<\/p>\n

Dopamine, the \u201cmolecule of more,\u201d drives our craving for success, achievement, or pleasure. This push for the next big thing can be essential for progress, but as Lieberman and Long note, it can also lead to dissatisfaction and restlessness. We chase the dopamine high, only to find that the excitement fades once the goal is reached, leaving us to pursue the next fix.<\/p>\n

The Bible often speaks of hope and vision as powerful motivators. Proverbs 29:18 says, \u201cWhere there is no vision, the people perish.\u201d[3]<\/a> The thought of something better is akin to the dopamine\u2019s drive for \u201cmore\u201d\u2014the belief that something greater is on the horizon, which is particularly essential for people living in vulnerable circumstances such as in prison or foster care.<\/p>\n

Yet, unlike the fleeting excitement that wanes when \u201chere and now\u201d chemicals take over, faith is what anchors us in the promise that the \u201cmore\u201d we seek is not shallow or temporary but eternal. Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-20: \u201cDo not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.\u201d[4]<\/a> The anticipation of an eternal reward, not a temporary dopamine-driven one, is where our hearts should point.<\/p>\n

While dopamine motivates us to work hard and pursue dreams, faith calls us to redirect that energy toward God\u2019s purpose. Our desires should draw us closer to God, not just toward fleeting pleasures. Lieberman and Long discuss how dopamine keeps us fixated on what\u2019s out of reach, fueling a constant craving for \u201cmore\u201d\u2014a perfect metaphor for how humanity seeks satisfaction in the temporary. But faith teaches us that true contentment is found in seeking God\u2019s will above all else.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Lieberman, Daniel Z., and Michael E. Long. The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity-and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race<\/em>. First trade paperback edition. Dallas, TX: BenBella Books, 2019.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Ibid XVI<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> \u201cProverbs 29:18 – Bible Gateway.\u201d Accessed November 20, 2024. https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/verse\/en\/Proverbs%2029%3A18.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> \u201cBible Gateway Passage: Matthew 6:19-20 – New International Version.\u201d Bible Gateway<\/em>. Accessed November 20, 2024. https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew%206%3A19-20&version=NIV.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The New Job Offer! Sarah is a single mom and workforce professional who has dedicated years of hard work in a job that doesn\u2019t fully satisfy her, but she needs the income to feed her children, so she stays. The new boss recognizes her and gives her an offer for a new position with better […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":193,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3376],"class_list":["post-39580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-lieberman-long-dlpg03","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/193"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39580"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39584,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39580\/revisions\/39584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}