Issue 2: What is the mind?

In the Beginning... the Mind

Dear Reader,

Before we talk about memory loss, stress, brain fog, or resilience, we need to take one step back and ask a foundational question:

What exactly is “the mind”?

Most people can’t give a clear definition—but they can feel when something’s off. They know when they’re forgetful, overwhelmed, confused, or emotionally unsettled. A clear definition is hard because the mind is more than just a single function—it’s a powerful, God-designed blend of thinking and feeling, perceiving and interpreting, reasoning and acting.

A Working Definition

As a neuropsychologist, here’s how I define it:

The mind is the core part of ourselves responsible for thinking, perceiving, learning, remembering, reasoning, feeling, and interpreting reality.
It includes both cognitive abilities (like attention, memory, decision-making, and creativity) and emotional experiences (like mood, desire, and feelings).

In other words, your mind is where thoughts and emotions meet—and where both your beliefs and your behavior take shape.

The Mind in Genesis

This idea isn’t just a psychological theory—we can see it right at the beginning.

• Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning, God created…”
  
  The ability to create is not simple. It’s a complex cognitive ability requiring imagination, planning, foresight, knowledge, and decision-making. Creation reflects the fullness of cognitive function.
  

• Genesis 1:4 says, “God saw that the light was good.”
  
  To call something “good” requires evaluation—the ability to reflect, to judge, and to assign value. This is highly cognitive, but often has elements of an emotional experience as well. We might label something as good due to its practical benefits, or its pleasing and enjoyable qualities.
  
  

• Genesis 2:9 says, “The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye…”
  
  The word “pleasing” points clearly to emotional experience. From the beginning, we see a God who values beauty, delight, and enjoyment—not just function.
  

What That Means for You

If we are made in the image of God, then our minds are not accidents of biology or just tools for productivity—they’re sacred reflections of God’s nature.

Your ability to focus, recall, evaluate, plan, enjoy, and grieve… these aren’t just random brain functions. They’re part of how you were made to relate to the world, to others, and to God Himself.

One Habit for This Week: Pay Attention to Your Mind

This week, I encourage you to do something simple but profound: notice your mind.

• When you try to remember a name or make a decision, you’re using your God-given cognitive abilities.
  

• When you feel hope, frustration, contentment, or sadness—you’re experiencing the emotional side of your mind, which was also designed by God.

God created these. He cares about them. So should we.

In the weeks to come, we’ll dig deeper into these aspects of the mind—how they function when aligned with God’s design, how they can go off track because of the fall, and what it looks like to tend and renew the mind as Scripture calls us to (Romans 12:2).

Until then: notice your thoughts; notice your feelings. And give thanks that your mind, in all its complexity, was fearfully and wonderfully made.

In Him, 

Dr. Matt

Christian Neuropsychologist | Fellow Traveler in Faith and Clarity