Health Is Hard. Here's Why.

🧠 Brain science for the weary body and soul.

Recently I’ve been getting fascinated—and familiar again—with why we struggle. Why is it that we can know what’s right to do, yet struggle so hard to do it?

For example, I’m in a season where I can’t trust my eyes. Much like some of you look in the mirror and don’t like what you see, no matter how many positive pep talks or Bible verses you give yourself. When I look at one area of my life right now, so much of the information I receive tempts me to fear and assume the worst.

I know enough about brain science to be dangerous. And here’s what I know is happening in me: when my desires aren’t lining up with the facts, I’m prone to think, feel, and act in ways that don’t reflect who Jesus is making me to be. Maybe it’s the same for you—when you don’t see the results you hoped for and push the easy button, ending the night with food you didn’t really want, just to feel better.

The “Know-Do” Gap and Dual Processing

Much of psychology has been built around trying to close our “know and do” gap. One helpful idea is called dual processing.

Think of it like that classic cartoon image—an angel on one shoulder, a devil on the other. It’s not a perfect comparison, but dual processing works similarly. We have two systems always operating in our brains:

System 1 is fast, automatic, emotional, and intuitive. It’s built for survival.

System 2 is slow, deliberate, and logical. It helps us plan ahead and make wise decisions.

In general, System 1 operates in the lower part of the brain—more primal, focused on our immediate needs like love, safety, and belonging. System 2 operates in the higher brain, concerned with problem-solving, future planning, and thoughtful choices.

Unlike the angel/devil scenario, neither system is the villain. We actually need both—emotion and logic, instinct and wisdom—to live well as embodied people. This is how Jesus lived.

When We Can’t See What We Want to See

When what we see doesn’t match what we hope to see, what we desperately need is for our brains to hold peace. And peace is not the absence of conflict—it’s the presence of a reconciler.

Our Reconciler is also our Redeemer.
He has a name. His name is Jesus.
Speak His name over your brain the next time you’re tempted to give up and throw in the towel on closing the know-do gap.

“My peace I leave with you…” — John 14:27

When you speak it, mean it. Like a killer has a knife at your throat and you need help. You wouldn’t whisper “please, if you don’t mind, maybe you can help?”. No, you would SCREAM it with authority and mean it! Not to scare you, but Satan does want to kill you. Say the name of Jesus over your brain and body with authority and Satan will flee.

Your Brain Is Connected to Everything

If you want to improve your physical health—or any circumstance in your life—you can’t do that without improving the health of your brain.

Your brain is connected to your body. And your body is connected to your brain.

The brain and mind are not the same thing. The brain is like the phone. The mind is the software.

Your iPhone is a piece of engineered hardware, but without the software, it’s useless. Same with your mind. (And how often does your phone need a software update? Exactly. So how much more often do our brains need renewal?)

When we’re not seeing what we want to see, and we’re operating in system one, we must renew our minds daily—sometimes minute to minute—for our lives to function well. We must leap into system two.

This isn’t woo-woo new age or fluffy feel-good psychology.
This is brain science. This is evidence-based truth.
And it’s also how Jesus lived—with a fully engaged body and brain that stayed in union with His Father and the Spirit.

What Happens When We Neglect Our Minds

Think about how your heart sinks when your phone hits the ground. You don’t want it to break—it’s expensive and essential to daily life.

Your brain is even more valuable.

And yet, every time I spiral into fear, shame, or defensiveness—every time I operate from the emotional, protective part of my brain—I’m not just “having a moment.” I’m damaging the very thing God gave me to steward.

System 2 is still there, gently and firmly saying, “Can we stop and reason through this?” And my new favorite question the Holy Spirit’s been asking me lately, “Alisa, what else could be true?”

When we primarily live from System 1, it’s because we don’t feel safe.
And when we don’t feel safe, we begin to break our own hearts—and our bodies and brains follow’.

Embodying the Love of God

So how do we begin to heal?

We must regularly practice embodying love and safety—not just knowing we are loved.

So many Christians know they are loved because they read the words of Scripture tells them so, but they don’t feel loved. And feeling loved is a sensory thing - a body thing. We can know the love of God with our minds and never know how to host the love of God in our bodies.

When’s the last time you heard a sermon about that?

Why Getting With Others Massively Matters!

This is why, a year ago, I made a bold move for Revelation Wellness:
We’re getting back in person with people and their good bodies.

You can’t fully know the love of God through a Zoom screen.
And honestly, you won’t fully get it through this post either.

Our bodies need to be in a room with other bodies who are working out their ability to love God and their bodies. We need community, connection, and presence to heal and walk our good bodies in a manner worthy of our calling.

Healing happens when we’re gathered—embodied—under the authority and kindness of God who wants dry bones to LIVE!

If we want to live with health and hope, we must care for our spiritual software—our minds—so that the hardware of our bodies can function as it was fearfully and wonderfully designed to.

If you’re at the crossroads of suffered enough, have learned enough and yet you’re still not walking in a worthy manner, in your good body, as of the publishing of this post you have six days left to get in the room at Health Summit, Denver. June 5-7^th.

I beg you, don’t feel hopeless or crazy one more day. Thank system one for keeping you safe, but it’s time to leap into system two and get in the room!

Take 15 minutes or so to go on a walk with me this weekend and together we’ll strengthen System 2.

His love,

Alisa