Using Your Imagination Productively

Not surprisingly, then, the Bible nowhere condemns the healthy use of one’s imagination. Indeed, the ability of our minds to envision and imagine is evidence that we are, in the words of the psalmist, “wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14) Used productively, this ability can be a valuable asset. Christians are told to “keep [their] eyes, not on the things seen, but on the things unseen.” (2 Corinthians 4:18) This could involve trying to visualize God’s righteous new world. The Bible’s descriptions of this future global Paradise spur on our imagination in this regard!​—Isaiah 35:5-7; 65:21-25; Revelation 21:3, 4.

Your imagination may also prove to be useful if you have a difficult task to perform. For example, youths among Jehovah’s Witnesses are often assigned to give oral presentations on the Theocratic Ministry School. Besides practicing out loud, try rehearsing your presentation mentally. Picture the audience reacting to your information and delivery. This can help you make needed adjustments in your presentation and give you more confidence.

You can also mentally rehearse the handling of difficult situations. Perhaps you realize that a fellow Christian has something against you, and you want to talk matters out. (Matthew 5:23, 24) Rather than approaching the person cold, you can go over the scenario mentally, trying out different approaches to the problem. This would harmonize with the Bible principle: “The heart of the righteous one meditates so as to answer.”​—Proverbs 15:28.

Has someone offended you or made you angry? Note the advice given at Psalm 4:4: “Be agitated, but do not sin. Have your say in your heart, upon your bed, and keep silent.” This does not mean endlessly replaying hurtful scenes in your mind, nor does it mean dwelling on vivid mental images of thrashing someone with clever comeback lines. After all, Jesus warned that “everyone who continues wrathful with his brother will be accountable,” as will “whoever addresses his brother with an unspeakable word of contempt.” (Matthew 5:22) But mentally rehearsing your options​—which may include simply forgiving the offender—​may help you resolve matters with him in a calm, reasonable manner.

Daydreaming may also play a legitimate role in solving problems. Says Dr. Klinger: “Daydreams are themselves a way of discovering creative solutions to problems. People who daydream imaginatively can sometimes find solutions that would not occur to them were they to work on the problems deliberately.”

There is even evidence that daydreaming can help you improve the way you perform physical tasks. One ski instructor, for example, tells learners to form a mental picture of an upcoming ski run, imagining themselves navigating every curve and dip of the course. Researchers believe that doing so actually activates the part of the brain that controls the muscles, priming it for action. Of course, there’s no substitute for real practice, but mental rehearsal may help you improve your ability to play a musical instrument or to type. “In short,” says Dr. James Comer, “daydreaming is not a waste of time but rather a needed escape to help us function better.”

[Pictures on page 24]

Mental rehearsals can improve one’s actual performance