Sunday, October 14, 2012

Counseling Is Like Antibiotics

I have a fairly strong background in the type of biblical counseling endorsed by people like NANC and CCEF (look them up for an interesting perspective on the sufficiency of Scripture in gaining wise counsel). So when I engage in counseling we tend to open our Bibles quite a bit and expect that God will give people hope and help through Jesus’ work on their behalf. It’s pretty common for people to come to me when they are in a deep crisis. Experience has shown me that I can expect some solid and lasting change usually in 12-15 weeks’ work. Yet frequently people show up for three or four sessions and then start missing, not completing their assignments, or even drop out. Why is this? I think it’s because biblical counseling is like antibiotics. You know the instructions the doctor always gives you. Take one tablet every eight hours for twenty-one days. Continue taking the tablets until they are all gone even though you may start feeling better in a few days. It is important to finish the course. Why do we finish the course even though we are feeling better? We do it to prevent reinfection. In the same way, though our crisis may have eased and some of our pain have abated in a few weeks’ worth of counseling and work, we need to finish the course so as to fortify ourselves against further crises. When do we most need that biblical counsel? When we’re strong, so as to grow stronger and more stable. This way even when the challenges come we see the help and hope that our Savior gives us.

No comments: