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Think You Don’t Need A Counselor? Think Again!
December 6, 2012
Transformational Thought
The other day, I got into an argument with my wife. As usual, it was a
pretty trivial spark that started a much bigger fire. If someone had run
that same situation by me in the morning, I could have easily described
the ideal solution. My theoretical solution would have been beneficial
to my wife and me, and much more God-honoring than what actually
happened. But in the moment, I was governed by my insecurities, so I
blew it.
We all have so many unanswered questions about ourselves. Am I really
a good person? Am I truly lovable? Why do I do the things I do? Why do I
feel the way I feel? Why do I continue to make the same mistakes? Can I
change? Will I ever be fully in control of all areas of my life? We
struggle to answer these questions for ourselves. And it’s difficult to
get to the core answers without a reliable counselor.
The combination of our arrogance and pride has kept most of us from
realizing that we do need counseling. Me? I don’t need any therapy,
thank you very much! And the counseling profession carries huge stigmas —
mental illness, Freud, Prozac and all that. All of us need a counselor.
What athlete would ever think he doesn’t need a coach anymore? Does any
student ever really know it all? Your doctors continue to study and get
more education until they retire. In life, the most complicated
activity ever, we will never know it all. But thankfully, as Christians,
we have the best counselor at our finger tips and He lives right inside
us.
The Bible tells us Jesus sends us his Spirit as a Counselor. That
ought to make our need very clear. And apparently, we need quite a lot
of counseling—the Spirit isn’t just stopping in to give us an annual
checkup or a quick tune-up. No, He has come to stay and give us a
complete makeover … from the inside out. Now we just need to figure out
how to “hear” His counsel and quit sabotaging His efforts in our lives.
This next statement might sound blasphemous, but we need more than the
Holy Spirit’s presence. That’s why we listen to sermons and study the
Bible … to help us get out of the Holy Spirit’s way and so we can begin
to partner with the Great Counselor.
Today, confess your sins, then talk to God about a struggle in your
life. Open His word, read the Christmas and Easter stories, and then
listen for His counsel. If you have trouble following the counsel, or
continue to sabotage His efforts, consider getting someone to help show
you how to listen and follow His counsel. WITHIN REACH is a great
resource we developed for the purpose of helping you hear God, follow
His direction in your every day life situations, and be a Godly
decision-maker in all you do. Listening to the Counselor or to your self
is your decision, so choose well.
Prayer
Dear God, I thank You for sending me the ultimate Counselor, Your Holy
Spirit. Help me recognize my daily need for guiding advice and for the
Spirit of truth. Help me listen and heed Your advice. Help me gain
wisdom and courage to follow Your guidance, and humility to set aside my
agenda. Thy kingdom, not my kingdom come. Give me humility to seek out
and listen to Godly advisors so I can overcome my areas of struggle. I
pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who asked You to send the ultimate
Counselor, the Holy Spirit; and all God’s children said – AMEN!
The Truth
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” John 14:16–17
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of
marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no
creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the
eyes of him to whom we must give account. Since then we have a great
high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,
let us hold fast our confession. Hebrews 4:12-14
Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore
they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own
devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the
complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell
secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” Proverbs 1:29-33
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