Transformation

What does a children's book about a caterpillar have to do with renewing your mind? In this episode, we explore the transformative power of Romans 12:2 through the lens of metamorphosis—both the kind that turns a caterpillar into a butterfly and the kind God wants to do in our thinking. Using insights from Dr. Lee Warren's work connecting neuroscience and faith, we unpack two practical tools for mental and spiritual renewal: the Thought Biopsy (learning to examine the source of your thoughts) and the Thought Transplant (replacing destructive thought patterns with the truth of God's Word). If you've ever struggled with recurring anxiety, fear, grief, or feelings of worthlessness, this episode offers biblical and practical steps toward the abundant life Jesus promised. Featuring Scripture from Romans 12, Philippians 4, 2 Corinthians 10, John 10:10, and more.

Transcript

Transformation

When He lived on the earth, Jesus often told stories. Today we call those stories parables. This is documented in Matthew 13:34-35. I’ll read the verses as written in The Message Bible:

 All Jesus did that day was tell stories—a long storytelling afternoon. His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy: ‘I will open my mouth and tell stories; I will bring out into the open things hidden since the world’s first day.’ -         Matthew 13:34-35, The Message

In the last part of this passage, Jesus quoted Psalm 78:2 which is a messianic prophetic word about telling parables or stories.

Again in Mark 4:33-34, we read that Jesus was telling stories.  As it’s written in The Message it reads:

 With many stories like these, he presented his message to them, fitting the stories to their experience and maturity. He was never without a story when he spoke. When he was alone with his disciples, he went over everything, sorting out the tangles, untying the knots. -         Mark 4:33-34, The Message

Today, I’d like to follow Jesus’ example and begin our podcast by sharing a story. This is one of my favorite children’s books; it may be a favorite of yours, too. The title of the book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar1 written and illustrated by Eric Carle. Eric Carle’s books are wonderful fun, which is so important for early readers! This little book is great for developing reading and vocabulary skills, but it also includes elements of beginning math and science. 

The story begins with an egg on a leaf. The egg hatches into a little caterpillar that is very hungry. Every day the caterpillar eats more and more until he grows to be a very big caterpillar. Then he surrounds himself by building a house that’s called a cocoon.  After a couple of weeks, the caterpillar nibbles a small hole in his cocoon and pushes his way out. When the caterpillar fully emerges, he has become a beautiful butterfly.

The process of transforming from one form to a completely different form is called metamorphosis. And that process is exactly what is described in Romans 12:2. I’ll read the verse as it’s written in the New International Version.

 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. -         Romans 12:2, NIV

According to Strong’s Concordance, number 33392, the word ‘transformed’ was translated from the original Greek word ‘metamorphoo.’ Our English word “metamorphosis” was derived from the same root word. Strong’s explains the meaning of the word ‘metamorphoo’ as a"change after being with" and "changing form in keeping with inner reality” or more simply put “transformed after being with.”

The Message paraphrase beautifully captures the meaning of this passage. I’ll share the first 2 verses of Romans 12 as it’s written in the Message.

 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. -         Romans 12:1-2, The Message

Romans 12:2 is a foundational verse for me. For years, I have studied, memorized and tried to activate the truths revealed in it. Recently, I’ve gained some new understanding and insight from a book titled The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery: Connecting Neuroscience and Faith to Radically Transform Your Life3. That is quite a title! It certainly grabbed my attention!

Let me repeat that title one more time - The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery: Connecting Neuroscience and Faith to Radically Transform Your Life

The author of the book is Dr. Lee Warren. He is a Christian medical doctor who specializes in practicing neurosurgery. Along with the book I referenced, Dr. Warren has a podcast, many online videos and a variety of other books and materials. I encourage you to explore the wealth of resources made available by Dr. Warren.

Dr. Warren’s writings were born out of experiences with devasting life traumas.  During the Iraq war, Dr. Warren was a field surgeon; he completed over 200 surgeries while operating in a tent. When he returned home from the war, he suffered from intense Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. 

Later, Dr. Warren’s 19-year-old son was tragically and violently murdered. As a result, Dr. Warren was so filled with hopelessness, depression and despair he could hardly function. When he was trying to rebuild his life enough to get back to work, Dr. Warren and his wife were invited to observe a research project with a magnetic resonance imaging machine also known as an MRI.

During the MRI demonstration, the man in the MRI machine was asked to think about something sad or the worst thing he had ever experienced. When the patient followed the command, blood flow in the brain moved to the amygdala, which is responsible for emotional processing including regulation of anxiety and depression. Changes in the brain activity impacted physical changes in the body like increasing heart rate, raising blood pressure and releasing stress hormones.

Next, the patient in the MRI was asked to think about something happy or his best, most pleasant memory. The positive thoughts resulted in changes in the blood flow to the areas of the brain, like the frontal lobes, that produce rational thoughts.  Again, the impact on the patient’s body typically might include a normalized heart rate, lower blood pressure and a release of feel-good hormones. 

Note that the patient’s circumstances did not change. The only thing that changed was the patient's thinking. The patient’s thoughts impacted the activity in his brain, which in turn impacted what was happening in his body. When the patient changed his thinking, his brain and body changed to match his thinking. 

This concept is clearly stated in our foundational Bible verse as well as in several other scriptures. I’ll read a portion of Romans 12:2 again.

 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. -         Romans 12:2b, NIV 

Here are just a few other verses that express a similar idea.

Proverbs 23:7a says:

 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. -         Proverbs 23:7a, NKJV

Ephesians 4:23 in the Amplified Classic says: 

 And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], -         Ephesians 4:23, Amplified Classic (AMPC)

Although the scope of this podcast does not include a thorough discussion of the connection between neuroscience and faith, I would like to share my simplistic understanding of a few of the other concepts found in Dr. Warren’s writing.

First up is the idea of the Thought Biopsy. This is a process for discerning the source of a thought, determining whether or not it is true, and recognizing the feelings associated with it. In other words, as they say, think about what you’re thinking about.

Neuroscientists tell us we have 6,000 or more thoughts a day. Many of those are automatic. For example, making the bed is something we don’t really think about it, we just do it. But there are other thoughts, especially recurring, negative thoughts that need to be examined more closely. 

Second Corinthians 10:5 in the New Life Version provides these guidelines.

 We break down every thought and proud thing that puts itself up against the wisdom of God. We take hold of every thought and make it obey Christ. -         2 Corinthians 10:5, New Life Version (NLV)

And there’s also 1 John 4:1. In the New King James Version it says:

 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; -         1 John 4:1, NKJV

Simply put, there are 3 sources for our thoughts - thoughts from within ourselves, thoughts from the enemy, and thoughts from God. To biopsy a thought, examine or think about it and determine its source. John 10:10 provides guidance and insight. I’ll read it as it’s written in the New Living Translation.

 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. -         John 10:10, New Living Translation (NLT)

If the thought you’re examining is negative and results in reliving past traumatic experiences, stealing your peace, killing your hope, and destroying your dreams, then the source of that thought is clearly the enemy. 

If, on the other hand, the purpose of the thought is to support you in a rich and satisfying life, it is from God.

The purpose of the Thought Biopsy is to examine negative thoughts, determine their source, and use discernment to determine if you want to keep the thought or reject and get rid of it.

That leads us to the next concept of Dr. Warren’s that we want to explore.

It is what Dr. Warren refers to as the Thought Transplant. The purpose of the Thought Transplant is to challenge automatic, recurring, negative thoughts and replace them with thoughts that are true and positive. 

In Philippians 4:8, the Bible gives us guidance regarding our thoughts. In the New International Version, we are told to - 

 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. -         Philippians 4:8, New International Version (NIV)

If a Thought Biopsy reveals that the source of a specific thought is from the enemy, then that thought can be rejected and replaced by a true, real and right thought that is from God.

Here are a few examples.

If you are suffering from anxious thoughts that result in ongoing feelings of anxiety, try replacing those thoughts with Philippians 4:6-7. I’ll read those verses as they’re written in the NIV.

 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.-         Philippians 4:6-7, NIV

If you are suffering from fearful thoughts that result in ongoing feelings of fear, try replacing those thoughts with 1 Timothy 1:7. I’ll read those verses as they’re written in the New King James.

 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. -         1 Timothy 1:7, NKJV

If you are suffering from sad, mournful thoughts and overwhelming feelings of grief, try replacing those thoughts with these verses.  Here’s Psalm 34:18 in the NIV.

 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
     and saves those who are crushed in spirit. -         Psalm 34:18, NIV

Here’s Matthew 5:4 as written in the NIV.

 Blessed are those who mourn,
     for they will be comforted. -         Matthew 5:4, NIV

And here’s Lamentations 3:22-23, also in the NIV.

 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
     for his compassions never fail.
 23 They are new every morning;
     great is your faithfulness. -         Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV

You probably know or can find many more Bible verses than can be transplanted to replace recurring negative thoughts. In his book, Dr. Warren provides many examples of negative, recurring thought patterns and the appropriate Thought Transplants including the Bible verses that apply to each specific situation and an explanation of the neuroscience that is applicable. 

It’s important to note that the information presented in this podcast is only introductory in scope and not meant to be comprehensive in nature. Additionally, it is not meant to replace medical or therapeutic treatments.

Here’s a final thought from Dr. Warren. He reminds us that 2 things can be true at the same time. You may have endured a terrible trauma, you may have a serious addiction, you may have a life-changing diagnosis, or you may have ongoing negative thoughts about your personal worth and feelings of rejection. But at the same time, God’s Word assures you that God loves you extravagantly and cares deeply for you. 

As it’s written in Jeremiah 31:3 in the NIV, God said:

 “I have loved you with an everlasting love;
     I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” -         Jeremiah 31:3, NIV

And at the end of Hebrews 13:5 in the Amplified Classic, God says:

 … for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] -         Hebrews 13:5, AMPC

As the podcast ends, I’d like to thank you for listening.  I want to remind you that Hebrews 7:25 tells us that Jesus –

…  is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. -         Hebrews 7:25, NKJV

I join my prayers with those of Jesus as I pray that you and all your household come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

I join in the intercession of Jesus as I pray that you will know the supernatural transformation that is available to you as you learn to biopsy your thoughts and transplant old negative thoughts with thoughts from God’s Word that are renewing, restoring and refreshing.

I intercede with Jesus praying that, as you continue your journey through life, you will experience the joy of the abundant life Jesus came to give us.

Our closing prayer for you is found in Numbers 6:24-26: 

  “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” -         Numbers 6:24-26, NKJV

Amen and amen!

1Eric Carle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar (New York: Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers,1969)

2Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/greek/3339.htm, Strong's Greek: 3339. μεταμορφόω (metamorphoó) -- To transform, to change form (accessed July 21, 2026)

 3W. Lee Warren, MD, The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery: Connecting Neuroscience and Faith to Radically Transform Your Life (Tyndale Refresh, Tyndale House Ministries, 2006)

Kathie Burnett

July 22, 2026