One of my jobs here is that of counselor. I'm not a very good counselor, because I don't really enjoy hearing people whine, and believe me, we hear a lot of whining.
I find counseling to be difficult because the Christian life is actually very simple. The root sins that cause problems are really very simple. Pride, greed, lack of faith, disobedience, among other things. Most people want to think that their problems are unfixably complicated. Often, they don't even want to find out what they can do, they just want a shoulder to cry on.
God doesn't just sympathize with our problems, He wants us to find peace.
The problems that sin creates are very complex, but the roots are relatively easy to diagnose and fix (theoretically speaking) Being the choleric that I am, I like this. I like the fact that I can let God fix me. I can learn exactly what I need to do. Its simple!
1. Find out what God says about your problem. Go to Church and listen. Read your Bible daily, and pay attention. Pray and ask God for His help. God really wants to help you. And when He sends help, thank him, and again, pay atttention! God will often send someone either through a letter, a phone call or a sermon or lesson online. I like to recognize when God is sending me a message! Sometimes I tell the same people the same things over and over. They don't listen, they'd rather suffer and whine. They's rather just take the prozac. They'd rather just keep on living with their abusive boyfriend.
I pray that the Lord would fill me with compassion, and give me a tender heart.
R
Odds and ends and breaking the silence
1 year ago
2 comments:
This is great. You are so right....counselor is probably one of the most humbling and difficult thing to do. We are held accountable for those things we say and give advice about. I have to say though that if we stay in tune with the Holy Spirit that He will not guide us wrong in what we say to those we are trying to help. I pray daily that God give me compassion for others and that He use me in some way to help someone today.
That's a very true post!! Our Pastor will council if you come to him, but he prefers to do all his counciling from the pulpit....from the BIBLE! And he'll tell us the same thing you mentioned about going to church, listening, reading your Bible, and paying attention.
~Kristi
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