By Heather Maino, LCSW, Director of Counseling, Arkansas Baptist Children & Family Ministries
Struggle is real! God is real!
How do we struggle with addiction, betrayal, loss, loneliness, inadequacy, or trauma and believe that God is loving, good, and all-knowing?
Biblical heroes of the faith experienced struggle, trauma, and spiritual warfare as well. They all wrestled with a sanctification achieved through the hard. There was and is no blessing protection program for believers. However, we tend to live in expectation as though there is. We become disillusioned that we have not found the place of expected ease. This expectation is a lie of the enemy which burdens our minds, hearts, and souls. What a distortion of truth and distraction he whispers in our ears, causing emotional pain and heartache!
Such theodicies are the daily diet of a Christian counselor. Lately, my attention has drifted to the life of Job. Job had found his sweet spot in life. He was a righteous man. He was blessed beyond measure in every way – until he wasn’t. Job could not see the cosmic showdown that had occurred to affirm the truth of God’s confidence and presence. Like us, Job struggled with the dissonance of who God is versus what he was experiencing.
Job’s friends quickly turned to problem solving, criticism, and advising. They were truly miserable counselors. Everything in me longs for Job to have someone gifted to walk beside him as he aches over the grief of loss, as he feels invalidated in his righteous acts, as his body is wrecked with pain, as he comes to grip with trauma, and as he feels alone even among friends. Oh, how I long for him to experience the consistent presence of a wise counselor who is WITH him!
Christian counselors provide compassionate presence during struggle, help clients behold who God is in those situations, and create space to let that truth fall into hearts as a healing, soothing balm. God gifts Christan counselors within the Body of Christ with discernment, mercy, exhortation, words of wisdom, words of knowledge, shepherding, serving, and helping as they apply professional clinical skills.
Christian counselors abide with those who are hurting, and in doing so, prayerfully extend the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.
It is glorious that a member of the body seeks the gift of a Christian counselor’s presence. It is God’s desire that they worship again from a clean heart and clear mind. Christian counselors are deep wells of hope and healing waiting with openness to receive those who would come. They hold space and presence for others with consistency and love as they endure and heal. They are compassionate arms of Jesus extended to the body.
Get to know the Christian counselors who labor beside you for the work of the calling. To connect with an ABCFM Living Well Professional Counselor near you, call (501)410-1567.