Healing Gained &
Hope Offered
"Don't shine so others can see you. Shine so that through you other can see HIM."
-C.S. Lewis
Caption: Setting Waves that Wash
Photographer: Myself
I was left extremely encouraged
after ready the first three chapters of the Therapeutic Expedition by John
Thomas & Lisa Sosin. The progression throughout the chapters served as a
guide to what is important to the counseling profession. The emphasis as worldview
being centered on Christ in the first chapter reminds me how thankful I ought
to be to attend Liberty University. The second chapter narrowed the vision of
how to help, followed by the third chapter demonstrating appropriate warning
signs.
I especially appreciated the
analogy of counselors helping clients to pull away the figurative “fig leaves” that hide our sin. These
fig leaves provide a false sense of security and protection much like when Adam
and Eve hide from God in the Garden of Eden. The need for skilled professionals
has never been greater then now, yet the problems have always been present. The
process of counseling is not always a smooth ride. Chapter 3 reminds counselors
of the risk factors involved for counselees and counselors alike. Thomas and
Sosin offer crucial advice that helps provide me with a proper perspective on
counseling, “remember that you are responsible to your counselee, not for
your counselee.” I have chosen to daily rely upon God’s strength and wisdom He
provides to help me point others to Him for healing. Counselors have the
opportunity to imitate the redemptive
relationship of God using Christ has His plan for salvation. Counselors who
approach counselees with grace demonstrate this love through unconditional
positive regard toward their clients. Clients then understand their need for
God’s deliverance. Through a strong therapeutic relationship trust is gained
and slowly the fig leaves fall.
Jordan reading your post was encouraging and difficult. My heart is right but sometimes I know Jesus is not shining through my words. Growing changing and imitating Christ can change a counselee's vision and attitude. Thank You for the words of C.S. Lewis he allowed God to use him to touch many lives.
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ReplyDeleteJordan, you chose such a wonderful part of the text to expound on in the fig leaves analogy. I forgot about that as I was writing for the blog, and it is refreshing to think more about how we do try so hard to hide things. It makes me so glad to think of counseling as a way to develop trust so that clients can let down the leaves they feel like they have to hold up for long. Remembering that God did not make us to hide from Him, but to be in communion with Him, and honestly so, is hard to remember as human beings. The fact that clients who are not saved, do not know that redemption has always been present as God's gift is sad; however, we can see the bright side as counselors and pray that through us they can see His heart for them, ready to forgive and make new.
ReplyDeleteJordan, I really enjoyed your post. I loved that analogy as well of the counselor being the one to pull back the fig leaves of a persons life. I love that we can be that example of Christ for our clients. It is so cool that the Lord can use us in that way to be able to show them what a relationship with Christ can look like, full of grace and love
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