Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

How God Wired Our Brains for Advent Hope: Why Anticipation Fuels Our Faith

December 11, 2025
00:00 18:50
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Episode Summary:

Have you ever noticed that sometimes the waiting feels almost better than the having? A child counting down the days until Christmas morning… the thrill of planning a vacation… even the little rush when you hear your phone buzz with a new message. That’s anticipation at work. But what if I told you that the very chemical in your brain that makes anticipation so powerful was actually designed by God to teach us something about Advent? Today we’re going to talk about dopamine, anticipation, and the kind of holy hope that not only prepares us for Christmas, but points us to the greater joy of Christ’s return.

As we step into this Advent season, I want to share something that’s been on my heart—how anticipation affects our brain chemistry, our spiritual lives, and even the way we approach hope. Specifically, I want us to consider the beautiful connection between anticipation, dopamine, and Advent hope.

Quotables from the episode:

  • Did you know your brain starts celebrating before the party even begins? That’s right—long before you open the gift, taste the dessert, or hug the loved one, your brain is already releasing dopamine, the chemical of anticipation. But here’s the deeper truth: God wired us that way on purpose. Advent is the season where science and faith collide, inviting us to see how holy anticipation points our hearts beyond the moment to the eternal. In this episode of Your Hope Filled Perspective, you’ll learn how your brain chemistry mirrors the biblical call to wait with joyful hope.
  • Anticipation is the act of looking forward to something. It’s more than just waiting—it’s waiting with expectancy. It’s that feeling when you know something is coming, and you start to prepare for it in your heart, in your mind, and sometimes even in your body.
  • Think about a child waiting for Christmas morning. They might count down the days, peek under the tree, maybe even have trouble falling asleep on Christmas Eve. That’s anticipation.
  • Anticipation can be both positive and negative. We can anticipate a joyful event—like a wedding, the birth of a child, or a holiday gathering—or we can anticipate something difficult, like a doctor’s appointment or a hard conversation.
  • But here’s the key: anticipation changes the way we think, feel, and behave, even before the actual event takes place.
  • Now let’s bring in a bit of brain science. You’ve probably heard of dopamine. It’s often referred to as the “feel-good chemical,” but that’s not entirely accurate. Dopamine isn’t about pleasure itself—it’s about anticipation of pleasure.
  • When our brains release dopamine, it motivates us to pursue something. It’s tied to the reward system in our brains. For example, when you anticipate a delicious meal, your brain releases dopamine—not when you’re eating the food, but when you think about eating it.
  • Dopamine helps us focus, motivates us to take action, and gives us energy to pursue what we expect will be rewarding.
  • Here’s an example: Have you ever noticed that planning a vacation can be almost as enjoyable as the vacation itself? That’s because anticipation—through dopamine—creates joy, motivation, and excitement.
  • Now here’s where it gets interesting. When we lack healthy anticipation—when we don’t have things to look forward to—dopamine levels can drop, leading to discouragement, low motivation, and even depression.
  • But God, in His wisdom, created us with this system of anticipation for a reason. He designed our brains to look forward, to seek reward, to long for something beyond the present moment.
  • Advent is a season of holy anticipation.
  • For centuries, Christians have marked the four weeks before Christmas as a time of preparation, reflection, and expectation. We look back and remember the long anticipation of Israel waiting for the promised Messiah. And we look forward in anticipation of Christ’s second coming.
  • Advent teaches us not to rush through waiting but to savor it, to sit in it, to let it shape our hearts.
  • In the same way dopamine motivates us to move toward something good, Advent hope motivates us to move toward God’s promises.
  • Think about Simeon and Anna in Luke chapter 2. They spent their lives anticipating the Messiah. The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before seeing the Lord’s Christ. Imagine the daily anticipation he must have lived with. And then one day, he held the baby Jesus in his arms and declared, “My eyes have seen your salvation.”
  • That is the fulfillment of holy anticipation.
  • And yet, we too live in anticipation. We celebrate Jesus’ birth, yes—but we also anticipate His return. That’s what Advent reminds us: we live between the “already” and the “not yet.” Jesus has come, and Jesus is coming again.
  • Here’s the challenge. In our culture, anticipation often gets hijacked. We anticipate Amazon packages, text message replies, or the next social media notification. Those things give us little dopamine hits, but they don’t satisfy our souls.
  • If we’re not careful, we can train our brains to anticipate the wrong things—things that don’t last, things that can’t fulfill us.
  • But Advent invites us to retrain our anticipation. Instead of craving fleeting rewards, we can learn to anticipate eternal hope.
  • So, let’s ask ourselves:
    • What am I anticipating most right now?
    • Is it something temporary, or is it something eternal?
    • How can I align my anticipation with God’s promises?
  • Romans 8:24–25 says, “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
  • That’s the essence of anticipation: waiting with patience, grounded in hope.
  • Let me suggest a few practical steps:
    • Build rhythms of anticipation. Light an Advent candle each week. Read the Scriptures that point to Christ’s coming. These small practices create anticipation and remind your brain and your spirit of the greater hope to come.
    • Practice gratitude in the waiting. Each time you feel anticipation rising—whether for a holiday gathering or even for your morning coffee—use it as a cue to thank God for something eternal. Gratitude shifts dopamine toward holy anticipation.
    • Anchor your anticipation in God’s promises. Write down verses about Christ’s return. For example, John 14:3, where Jesus says, “I will come back and take you to be with me.” Let those promises fuel your waiting.
    • Fast from empty anticipations. Maybe that means stepping back from constant scrolling or instant gratification. Fasting helps retrain our brains to anticipate what truly matters.
    • Invite others into your anticipation. Just as Israel anticipated the Messiah together, we’re called to wait together. Share your Advent reflections with a friend or family member. Encourage one another with the hope of Christ’s return.
  • When we put all this together, here’s what we see:
    • Neuroscience shows us that anticipation releases dopamine, motivating us to move toward something good.
    • Scripture shows us that God designed us to live in anticipation of His promises.
    • Advent reminds us to direct our anticipation toward Christ—His birth, His presence in our lives today, and His return.
  • When we align our brains’ natural anticipation system with God’s eternal hope, we experience deeper joy, stronger faith, and renewed strength to endure seasons of waiting.
  • Friend, whatever you’re anticipating right now, I encourage you to lift it before the Lord. Maybe you’re anticipating something wonderful, or maybe you’re anticipating something hard. Either way, God meets us in our waiting.
  • As we journey through Advent, let’s allow anticipation to become not a source of stress or distraction, but a holy reminder that our ultimate hope is in Christ.
  • Would you pray with me?
    • “Heavenly Father, thank You for designing our minds and our hearts to anticipate. Thank You for sending Jesus, the fulfillment of centuries of anticipation, and thank You for the promise that He will come again. Help us, Lord, to direct our anticipation toward what is eternal and true. Strengthen us in seasons of waiting and fill us with hope as we remember that You are faithful to every promise. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
  • As you move through this Advent season, may you live with holy anticipation—not just for the joys of Christmas, but for the greater joy of Christ’s return.

Scripture References:

  • Romans 8:24–25 (NIV)“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”

Recommended Resources:

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For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:

Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple

Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson

Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

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Meet Your Host
Dr. Michelle Bengtson is a hope concierge! She is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist, international speaker, and award-winning author dedicated to offering hope, healing, and practical tools for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. As the host of the top-rated podcast Your Hope-Filled Perspective, she combines her professional expertise with biblical truth to empower listeners to overcome anxiety, depression, and life’s challenges through faith.

A trusted voice in Christian mental health, Dr. Bengtson is the bestselling author of Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor's Personal Journey through Depression and Breaking Anxiety's Grip. With over 30 years of clinical experience, she has helped countless individuals find lasting freedom from fear, stress, and discouragement.

Dr. Bengtson is a frequent media guest on platforms such as Focus on the Family, Life Today, and Moody Radio. Her writing and resources have been featured on outlets including Crosswalk, iBelieve, and Salem Media, equipping believers to embrace God's promises in every season.

Connect with Dr. Bengtson at DrMichelleBengtson.com, where she shares faith-based encouragement, expert insights, and free resources for cultivating a hope-filled life.
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