Allow to begin with an important caveat before I expand on my thoughts. I would never diminish the role or call of a counselor. The first reason is the Bible makes place for counseling and soliciting input from wise and experienced voices. So, if you happen to be reading and your ministry or vocation fits within the counseling “lane”, please understand I affirm and acknowledge your important role in helping people find emotional and psychological wholeness and health. It is no deep dark secret, as Tracie and I have shared this fact openly and publicly, that we have both solicited counseling personally and as a couple through our 40+ years of marriage and ministry. Frankly, I don’t see how any normal person can avoid it.
That said, after decades of ministry with people in various forums and relationships, I can say unequivocally, that a person can minimize their counseling needs if they implemented a few important points in their life. I understand that life in general can be capricious, arbitrary, unfair, unjust, and hard. There are people who face incredible challenges not of their own doing. These people deserve our compassion, mercy and understanding. However, there are untold numbers of people who face hardship due to their own foolishness and lack of listening. Their quandary has nothing to do with God’s ire or lack of concern, but rather their own inability to implement some basic points of Christian journey.
The following short list was initially posted by me to social media as a kind of “after-thought”. I wasn’t trying to be profound or deep, just reflecting on the reasons certain people always seem to find themselves consistently in deep problems. Apparently it resonated at some level with people as the “shares” and “likes” took off in an unreasonably short time period. I guess I should feel affirmed that so much help can be disseminated with such brevity. I guess it also reminded me that while life can at times be complex, answers may be far simpler. As one friend of mine often says, “Obedience is simple; disobedience is complicated”.
The list is as follows:
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