Wonderful Counselor

Is counseling overrated? Is accountability something worse?

When was the last time you needed a counselor? Did you find one – maybe on the phone, over coffee, or going to see a professional? Did they do any good – i.e. did you change for the better? Counselors worth their salt have “the mind of Christ.” Some do, some don’t. None do all the time.

Accountability means “an obligation to account for our activities.” But I don't think the dictionary definition fits reality - at least not as we Christians use the word.. We have an anger, or gossip, or gambling, etc. problem. So, we meet on a regular basis with someone “less messed up” to hold us accountable. This “less messed up” person is a friend. They sympathize with our lack of ability to change. They are into sympathy not reality. The result? Both people end up with a problem. Maybe sin is contagious and righteousness isn’t.

We’re all messed up. We need a counselor who isn’t. We need a wise counselor who is never surprised by our sickness, who we can be honest with and who knows how to push us when we try to cover, a counselor who is lovingly, brutally honest. We need a Wonderful Counselor.

Isa 9:6 (NLT) “A child is born to us, a son is given to us… And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor.”

Dan


P.S. In the old days we didn’t have accountability partners. CS Lewis and Martin Luther had confession partners. They felt they needed to confess their sins to God in front of someone else (Js 5:16). James says this brings “healing,” and “accomplishes much.” For me having to pray and confess my sins in front of someone else would keep me in line way more than meeting them at Starbucks.

Favorite Quote of the week: Craig McWade – "Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is like expecting the bull not to charge because you're a vegetarian."