Counciling

In the midst of a meeting in which I quickly realized that I was being asked to dial back what I felt needed to be done to placate a certain person, the phrase, "People with our background have a negative association with the word counseling."

And, it has been made ABUNDANTLY clear that the word 'counseling' is right up there with cussing and cheating on your income tax. And I am left scratching my head and wondering why such a sound, Biblical idea got so besmirched.

As I recall, the book of Proverbs makes it quite clear that having more than one person weigh in on your plans is a good thing. And the Lord Jesus while He was on earth often talked an individual through a wrong idea they had and lead them to greater enlightenment. We are told that one of His names is Councilor, and the Holy Spirit that indwells us is supposed to lead us unto righteousness. So, how can this concept not be Christian? The healing of someone's thinking to make it more productive and Godly?

I suspect that the roots of this interesting little hang-up are down somewhere with the problem that I know I sometimes have as a recovering fundamental, and I know that the GH brand particularly struggles with, and that is the deep down belief that as God's chosen holy people, no one else has any right to tell us what to do. As one of the few faithful (talk about another loaded word) among the sea of apostates, I am exempt from human input as I progress onwards and upwards. And of course, to go to counseling admits that you somehow failed at the PC (Perfect Christian) contest, and that leaves you open to attack from everyone else who is trying to protect their own images.

Goodness knows I have thought that before...

Yet, the older I get, the more I value people who are me helping me filter my thoughts. Sometimes I need someone else to help me define what I am feeling and upset about. Often I need someone else to guide my thoughts around from my subjective feelings to the actual reality. While everything everyone ever says to me is not always right, if I at least have to engage with it and think then surely I am better off, right? And, after the pain and trauma of the last few years, having a neutral, safe place to process through what is my fault and what I need to forgive would be very welcome. I need the input of others, and while council based on human wisdom is often wrong and gosh knows there is a lot of junk passed off as wisdom when it comes to psychology, who am I to reject the input of Godly men and women who can see the planks in my eye that I am too often blind to?

Lord, help me to let go of my pride and my desire to polish and control my image, and to be willing to listen to the input of others who might have Your words to speak into my life. Help me to seek wise council, to give wise council, and to base how I sort through my emotions, feelings, and thoughts on the solid rock of your word.