Biblical Counseling in Real Life

Effective Biblical Counseling Summary Primary Goal The primary goal of counseling should not be to “make the client happier” but rather to get one to a point where the client wants instead to do God’s will. This is the Christian approach to counseling that often goes missed and it is a goal that many people seeking counseling often forget they should be trying for, even though they are Christian.

They imagine that if they do everything right they should be rewarded with peace and happiness—and yet the Christian’s life is only peaceful and happy when it is lived in accordance with God’s will, and that is the point that Crabb (1977) makes here. The goal of counseling should be to get the patient to see how he or she could be more in line with God’s will because that is where peace is to be found.

Development of Problems and Personal Need The personal need that people have to feel some satisfaction, some freedom, to fill some hole in their lives all stems back to pride—the pride of Mr. A who cannot afford a new home but loves receiving compliments from people so buys one anyway; the pride of Mrs. B who likes the idea of having a lover on the side because she doesn’t owe him anything; the pride of Mr.

C who lies to avoid facing the truth about his own shortcomings…all these people have a personal need to feel bigger or better than they actually are. Crabb refers to it as “security and significance” (p. 80), but ultimately it is rooted in a desire to find that in ourselves, which really only comes from God.

They are all affected with the sin of pride because they do not want to give up that portion of the self that is preventing them from being united wholly to God. Pride is at the root of all the troubles that people have. Biblical Integration Biblical integration refers to the use of Scripture as the guiding point for this intervention.

When people see that all the direction they need is available within Scripture itself, they realize that they are trying to put their own direction on life without referring to the Word of God. The Word of God is there to be used, to be practically applied in life. Formula for Change The formula for change starts with recognizing that the Christian counselor’s goal is to turn the patient into a better Christian.

Some defect, some flaw, some shortcoming is preventing the patient from realizing his potential as a Christian. He is confusing the Christian life with the secular life that the world wants him to live. Instead of living for Christ, he is living like he thinks the Declaration of Independence is his guide—as though life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were what mattered most. The Declaration of Independence has little to do with Christ.

Christ made no such promises and He Himself suffered crucifixion and many martyrs suffered death for their faith. Change that is focused on simply becoming “happy” is not sufficient for the Christian Counselor. The formula for change therefore has to start with the Word of God. Balance of Theology and Spirituality Theology and spirituality are both important and the author recognizes that each has to play an equal part in the patient’s life.

The patient who does not balance spirituality with theology will come up short and wonder why the spirituality is not leading to happiness. The patient who does not balance theology with spirituality will come up short and wonder why his beliefs and actions are not bringing him peace. Peace and happiness are found only in Christ, which comes by balancing theology and spirituality in one’s life. Human Personality The emotions are a major part of the human personality as Crabb points out (p.

102) but it is important that patients realize that “Christianity was never intended to be one laugh after another” (p. 103). The human personality structure consists of heart, will, consciousness, unconsciousness and emotion. The personality moves from one to another and can go in the direction of God or in a continuous loop that takes the person back to the self, always missing the main goal.

Counselor’s Function and Role The counselor’s function and role is to enlighten the patient so that the patient realizes what is preventing him from becoming a better Christian. Christian counseling has as its goal the ultimate union with God. People come in with their random complaints: they do not understand why such and such is not making them happy or why they do this or that even when they know it is bad.

In every case it is the same: people are trying to substitute God with something else. Instead of living for the Word of God, they are living for compliments from others, or for some affection from another, or for the passing pleasure that comes with lying. The counselor’s function and role is to show the patient how their substitutions are not really good substitutions for the real thing.

The counselor-counselee relationship is one of mentor to student, leader to disciple: the counselor is clearing away the fog and distractions and piercing the darkness of the counselee’s interior life with light. Major Contribution to Counseling The major contribution to counseling that Crabb makes is that he orients and situates the counselor’s approach within the Christian tradition. It acknowledges that Scripture, the Word of God, Christianity—these are the keys to happiness. Everything else falls away once that is realized.

One can live more responsibly and do one’s duty to others when one realizes that this is the will of God for one. One becomes less self-centered and more God-centered. This theory impacts counseling by providing it with a strong foundation in Biblical focus. Limitations of This Counseling Theory The limitations of this counseling theory are that it may not actually lead to the achievement of the personal goals of happiness that the client wants.

The theory may actually add to the burden of the client as Crabb points out (p. 138). The theory is not meant to let one off easy but rather to show to the patient why he or she should take up the cross that God has given and carry it, shoulder it, follow Christ with it, all the way to Calvary. This may not seem like the solution that people want. However, it is the solution that Classification The classification of this theory is Biblical.

It is situated well-within the Biblical tradition of counseling and it uses the Bible as its main approach to counseling. All advice for the patient stems from what the Bible teaches regarding the Word of God and how it should be applied in one’s life. The Bible teaches one that sacrifice of self is the way to God and that only union with God’s will brings peace and happiness.

Practical Application Utility in Counseling There is a great deal of utility for the overall discipline of counseling in this theory. The specific potential influence upon my life and ministry that this counseling theory holds is that it really emphasizes what life is all about. The purpose of life is to know, love and serve God so that we can be happy with Him forever in the next life. There is no promise about being happy in this life. Happiness in this life is fleeting as the emotions.

It is here one minute only until the next wave of suffering arrives. Suffering is unavoidable. Instead of trying to avoid it I want to show to my people that they should embrace it just as one embraces.