Is God the only therapist we need?

[Leafy Green Vegetables]

I ask this because I am a Christian and I also will be researching mental health and trauma for a living (currently a Masters student).

I have wrestled with this question for some time. I mean, God is always with us, he loves us and gives us strength, yet even those who believe in God can suffer. I am a believer that there is nothing God cant do, but what happens when someone has prayed for help and does not find relief?

As followers of Christ, is Jesus all we need rather than seeking external help from a mental health professional?

[l0stsheep]

I think that God, through Christ, should ALWAYS be the first one you go to for help and counseling/guidance. And after that, I think is where fellowship comes in. I think that there is nothing wrong with going to a friend/family member, or even a trained Christian counselor to get Spiritual guidance. It doesn't mean you aren't giving God the opportunity to speak, or work directly with you. You should first go to God, but fellow Christians are there so we can lean on eachother. You need that support. Which is why Jesus sent out in pairs and paul usually travelled with atleast one other companion. There's nothing wrong, in my opinion, with going to a person for help after you've gone to God. God might be using that person to speak to you.

[Leafy Green Vegetables]

[ QUOTE ]
I think that God, through Christ, should ALWAYS be the first one you go to for help and counseling/guidance. And after that, I think is where fellowship comes in. I think that there is nothing wrong with going to a friend/family member, or even a trained Christian counselor to get Spiritual guidance. It doesn't mean you aren't giving God the opportunity to speak, or work directly with you. You should first go to God, but fellow Christians are there so we can lean on eachother. You need that support. Which is why Jesus sent out in pairs and paul usually travelled with atleast one other companion. There's nothing wrong, in my opinion, with going to a person for help after you've gone to God. God might be using that person to speak to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Beautifully stated Lost. Thanks.

[psaturn]

Amen !

[tarheelsykes]

beautifully said lost

[War5475]

I did a lesson on this subject last year it was somthing that God had laid on my heart after seeing so many people in my life turn to legal drugs and counseling.


First i would like you to read a verse from James 5:16


Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.


This is a pattern God has given us. Yes we are to bring these things to him. But we dont have to stop there.

One thing satan does to keep us hurting is to keep us seperated from our brethren. He wants us to think and belive that we are the only ones that are going through what we are experiencing. That we are somehow different and undeserving otherwise we would not be experiencing what were going through. He also makes us feel that no one would accept the problem we have, or look down on us because of it. If he can keep us away from fellowship and counceling one another. He can continue to errode our faith, and strength.

One problem i feel have in the church is that we are not open enough with or fellow brethren. We dont share all the things we should. If we did all of us would realise how much we All go through everyday. We would find our experiances are not so unique. One of the greatest things that would come from this is we could help one another to get through the hard times easier. I know i could tell all of you serveral ways not to do things. Because i have allready tried them and failed misserably. /forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif But i also know a few things that actually help. When you think its you against the world its alot harder to keep your head up. When you know you have people that love you and will help you in anyway possible that makes it alot easier.

Legal drugs are one thing if you have a medical problem. I personaly feel if your life just needs mending then these drugs could actually hurt you because they can cause you to be apathetic. With no drive to mend the things that need mending. How are you or God going to bring about change?

Also on psychologist i feel if your a christian you need to find a faith based one. I feel it would be hard to accept some of the treatments and answers if not.

In closeing i just want to say We should allways turn to the father first because he wants us to. But we also cant ignore this huge resource that we have in our church. You have people that worship beside you everyday that have experienced the human condition from every angle. They have struggled as you struggle, and suffered as you have suffered. But some of them have allready conquered these problems. So why turn this help away? Why prolong your suffering? For once in your life take the easy way out. /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif <font color="green"> </font>

[Leafy Green Vegetables]

War, that is amazing stuff you wrote. Thanks!

All of the replies are very helpful. To a certain degree these ideas can be used in writing a scientific discussion section of a manuscript.

For instance, if I am researching some sort of trauma, whether it be terrorism, disasters or death, I would have some idea as to the religous beliefs of the sample (from a questionnaire or interview). Then, when I am talking about what the results of the study "mean" in practicle terms, I can rationalize that although the present sample is suffering from PTSD, they are also highly religious. With references, I can make the arguement of the importance of this sample to seek mental health assistance that is aligned with their beliefs.

Simply awesome, thanks again.

[Venom]

Great posts guys! Really informative.

Gods word should be our counselor, and answer to all our problems.

But as with all other areas of our life, the Lords answer to our prayers are very diverse. One of the ways he commonly works is providing us with other people that can helps us.

Genesis 2:18
And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

We were not created to be loners. We were created to interact and work with eachother.

The bible is all about cooperation as a body in Christ. We should use others for help and support.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, F43 whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow F44 more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism F45 in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

As King Solomon said:

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

So not only is it not wrong to use other people to help you, it is scriptural to do so!

[ QUOTE ]
As followers of Christ, is Jesus all we need rather than seeking external help from a mental health professional?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is one problem I have had with some churches I have gone to, and other Christians. They don’t respect the importance of education.

To say that we should not seek guidance from professionals, would be to say that we should not seek wisdom, which is completely contradictory to hundreds of verses in the bible. Just read the entire book of proverbs!

Proverbs 8:1-11
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? 2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. 4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. 5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness F28 is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward F29 or perverse in them. 9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. 11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

You should continually seek wisdom!

I am credentialed in Sport Psychology, and study under 2 of the greatest sport Psychologist around, and I can tell you, they, along with my studies, have made a tremendous impact on my outlook on life.

Athletes and many other people have such a horrible mentality in so many areas in their lives. And these mentalities do lead to mental stress. You don’t just find the solutions to these problems by sitting around. It takes hard work and a lot of studying.

Just check out the current issue of JHR!

James says:

James 1:2-12
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; F1 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

When you ask God for somethinig, then you need to then go out in faith and work for it, and God will provide you with the answers to your problems.

[Adam Knowlden]

Great post Venom!