Anxiety
Misplaced of fear and worry is the beginning of anxiety. Fear
and worry are not inherently bad or wrong but how we react to it that can lead
to anxiety, consequently, may lead us on a path to spiritual destruction. Some
of the common responses to anxiety are alcohol usages, drug usages, and other
addictive behaviors that lead us astray from God’s. Most certainly, fear and
worry are a key defensive emotional mechanism that practically keep us from
doing things that we should not do, hence, protect us physically. There are
many accounts in the bible that demonstrated how anxiety worked its way into
God’s people. The account of Elijah in 1 Kings 19, is the most intriguing to
me. Here’s a person that had just defeated Baal and his prophets ran away
because his fear of Jezebel’s threat. This is a classic case of unnecessary
amplified fear. Forgetting what God has done during the showdown with Baal’s
prophets, taking his trust away from God and instead focusing on the threat
from Jezebel. Thus, amplified fear that led to uncontrollable anxiety is
removing trust from God. Elijah’s fear was driven by his fixation on the
problem. Instead on relying on God’s promises, he complaint to God about the
problem. Elijah went as far as asking God to take his life. Essentially, when
our fears drive us to anxiety, our reactions will not always be biblically
aligned.
DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
DSM are being utilized by several professions: Psychiatrists,
Psychologists, Nurses, Counselors, Social Workers, Occupational &
rehabilitation Therapists, and Legal Specialists. Basically, DSM takes the
authoritative role and the guidelines for secular counselling just like the
Bible is to biblical counselling. Hence, DSM is very consequential to how
disorders are diagnosed which lead to classifications that not only the medical
providers relied on, subsequently, insurance provider’s determination are based
upon. DSM came out in 1952 with 60 disorders but it has changed since. The
second edition came out in 1968, homosexuality was then, listed as a disorder
but it was removed in 1974. The 3rd edition came out in 1980 with
265 diagnosed disorders. The current edition came out in 2012, DSM-5.
Thereafter, some Text Revisions DSM were published. DSM is categorized as
medical finding but there are many distinctions that challenged this line of
definition. DSM is mainly concern with Symptom of disorders that are, for the
most part, rooted in emotional behaviors while medical primary application is
on how to diagnose and cure Diseases. Therefore, DSM is very subjective while medical
model is very objective.
Psychotropic Drugs/Addictions
Going through and learning about the type of emotional and
mind-altering substance is a bit overwhelming. I have never thought about how
easy it is to be trapped into an addictive behavior just because of the easy
accessibility and the availability of these substances. I’ve learned about the
opioid crisis from the media but never experience it firsthand with anyone
close to me. This section on addiction shines a light on this issue as probably
the most threaten to coming generations because: first, the level of social
acceptability, second, easy access from corner stores to online merchant, and
third, secular psychology sees these as fixes and coping mechanisms to lots of
the human psychological problems. Secular view of addiction as a choice simply
identifies the power center of the addiction within the users; hence, it is up
to the person to get off from it. As biblical counselors, we look at addictions
as a sin problem in need of a savior. Therefore, it is very critical for
biblical counselling to actively emerge on the scene; hence, we must seek to
regenerate lives rather than momentary fixes.
“We urge you, brothers, admonish the idol, cheer the fainthearted,
support the weak, be patient with all. See that no on returns evil for evil;
rather seek what is good for each other and for all.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15. As biblical counselors,
we seek out those with addiction and provide them with biblical truth by
ministering God’s words. We need to bring the Hope that we are experiencing, “we
have this Hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner
sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our
behalf.” Hebrew 6:19-20.
Process of Change
Methodology is essentially Christ Centered
Goal of Change -> Process of change
Process of change starts with HEAT – Circumstances (Situation)
leads to two types of responses: Godly response and Sinful Responses. Anger
& Anxiety (Thorns) are examples of Sinful responses. Keep in mind that these
are not the main problem. Oftentimes, the focal point of most treatments are Anger
and Anxiety but failed to reach the roots of the problems. Picture this like a
tree—there is the root, the stem, the branches, the leaves, and thorns.
Everything happen from the ROOTS, the only way to change this is with the Holy
Spirit. Hence, secular response if often targeted at treating the thorns and
not touch the roots at all. The symptoms are removed but the root causes are
still rest at the roots. This is the fundamental distinction between secular
counseling and biblical counselling. No matter what the language that secular
methods is utilizing they cannot touch the heart or the root. God is the
creator of the heart, and He is the only one that can change the heart. Therefore,
as human that fall short, Christ has completed us by dying on the cross. The
Holy Spirit work through the bible and move us through the forgiveness of
Christ through the Cross to change our desires. Secular counselling advocates
that us/human change people as some sort of self-centered healing. However, the
only thing we can do is to modify behaviors. God in the super-natural that can
change people through God’s Grace. The Process of change go from the root of
sinful response through the Cross to the root of Godly response. While we
cannot change people, we can direct people to the power of the Holy Spirit with
the guidance of the Bible through the Cross toward the roots of Godly response.
This process is Christ centered that will produce the fruits of the spirit. As
we move toward Godly response, everything that we do is rooted in God. True
change comes with new heart that is rooted in God. “And I will give them one
heart, and new spirit I will put with them. I will remove the heart of stone
from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my
statutes and keep my rules and obey them.” Ezekiel 11:19
Guilt and Repentance
Guilt in our lives is often associated with shameful thoughts
about something that happen to us in the past, association with tragic past
events, perhaps fall short of an expectation set by parents, crime committed,
or someone that we caused harm to in the past. Secular counselling response to
Guilt is forgive oneself—self forgiveness. The other option is to put blame
others—it was not your fault! Nevertheless, Biblical Counselling understands
that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His
grace as a gift, through redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put
forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” Romans
3:23-25. Guilt and Shame can only resolve through Christ because Guilt and Sin
goes together. Let’s look at the Guilt: is the guilt rooted in what God’s said,
what your parents said, or someone else said? By evaluating Romans 3:23, we are
all guilty. That is our status in the eyes of God. Secular Counselling
dismissed this status and reassigned it to just a feeling so that they can deal
with it in the human level. It is either a false felling or feeling that was
caused by others. Guilt is associated with violating God’s laws. We were born
with a status of a sinners and through the regeneration of a new creature in
Christ, our new status is in Christ. However, we often associate certain
feeling with guilt but that is not the guilt that Roman 3 is talking about. Let’s
look at Proverbs 28:13 “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” Concealing
transgression is carrying guilt and will not proper. But those who
“acknowledged [their] sin to you and [] did not cover [their] iniquity [and]
confess [their] transgressions to the Lord [will be forgiven]” Psalm 32:5.
Clearly, carrying quilt is not desired by God but confession of quilt is not
only desired by God but obtain His mercy.
Grief and Crisis Counseling
Essential question in front of us here is what level of lost,
danger, suffering, that ultimately cause grief. Culturally, suffering may cause
by various events and the level of sufferings are define by individual cultural
preferences; however, we must define Grief and suffering from a biblical
perspective. It is comforting to know that the suffering that we experienced
and endured in this world is only temporarily as we look forward “to an
inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and fadeth not away, reserved in heaven
for {us}.” 1 Peter 1:4. Nevertheless, how do we comfort those that suffer
grief? First and foremost, pray, this is applicable in every situation. But
remember that the approach must be with care, love, and compassionate. Second,
share hope, speak truth but always with love and this is time to be kind and
love, and third, act with compassionate Service. Oftentimes a person that goes
through grief has many personal needs from shelter, food, or just a listening
ear. We are to look for these needs and provide them compassionately to the
best of our ability. The church as a body response to grief and crisis must be
done in unity. The church serves her purposes by standing together under God
and be the light to those suffering in this world. The church must focus on
God’s strength and acknowledge our weaknesses. “My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more
gladly of my weakness, so that power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthian
12:9-11. The entire template of Jesus’s life demonstrated not only life of
compassion but humbleness. This is the template that the church should follow.
Let’s be creative on how to be a compassionate team! In the gospel of Matthew
14:14 while the disciples had other ideas on what to do with the crowd, Jesus
was moved with compassion “when Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had
compassion on them and heal their sick.” We must be moved with compassionate
care for those that are going through grief and crisis. Look for services, the
small acts, be a servant as a witness that will encourage others to serve. Make
sure that we always point them to the scripture. We can only do this by knowing
the scripture. It is a good idea to have a toolbox of scriptures that we can
apply to each crisis. Ministering scripture will take the counselee through
born again, equipping for the new journey, instruction and hope, nourishment
for growth into infinite growth in Christ.
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