Page 45 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 23
P. 45

this very vision and offers a therapeu�c framework that honors both the             References
        psychological complexity of voli�onal struggle and the theological promise          Baumeister, R. F., & Vohs, K. D.
                                                                                            (2007). Self-Regula�on, ego de-
        that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness (Counted et al., 2024).            ple�on, and mo�va�on. Social
        Flourishing, then, is not the absence of struggle, but the presence of divine       and personality psychology
        purpose within it.                                                                  compass, 1(1), 115-128.
                                                                                            Benito-Gomez, M., Williams, K.
        Towards Flourishing and Will in Missional Therapy                                   N., McCurdy, A., & Fletcher, A.
        Kroll’s framework presupposes a developmental arc that may not account              C. (2020). Autonomy-suppor�-
                                                                                            ve paren�ng in adolescence:
        for discon�nui�es or nonlinear growth. People do not always progress stea-          Cultural variability in the con-
        dily toward maturity. Life’s thorns such as setbacks, trauma, and health dis-       temporary United States. Jour-
        rup�ons can destabilize voli�onal func�oning and psychological needs even           nal of Family Theory & Review,
        in highly competent individuals. Flourishing, then, requires not only learning      12(1), 7-26.
                                                                                            Bosch, D. J. (2011). Transfor-
        to exert will but also learning to re-engage it a�er failure. The forma�on and      ming mission: Paradigm shi�s
        exercise of the will are not simply technical skills that allow individuals to      in theology of mission (No. 16).
        complete tasks. They are central to what it means to flourish as a person. To       Orbis books.
        understand this link, we must then connect Kroll’s emphasis on voli�onal            Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F.
                                                                                            (2001). Op�mism, pessimism,
        development with broader frameworks of human flourishing. Both theology             and self-regula�on. In E. C.
        and mo�va�on science offer overlapping insights that help explain how the           Chang (Ed.), Op�mism & pessi-
        ability to exert will support a full, meaningful, and flourishing life.             mism: Implica�ons for theory,
        At its most basic, Chris�an flourishing involves living well across mul�ple di-     research, and prac�ce (pp.
        mensions of abundant life—happiness/contentment, meaning, health, cha-              31–51). American Psychological
        racter, rela�onships, stewardship (Counted et al., 2025). It is not simply          Associa�on. h�ps://doi.org/
                                                                                            10.1037/10385-002
        about feeling good or achieving success but becoming fully alive, realizing         Counted, V. (2025). An Intro-
        one’s poten�al in alignment with both individual values and the common              duc�on to the Science of Chris-
        good (Counted, 2025; Long et al., 2025). Voli�on plays an important role in         �an Flourishing: A Domain-Ba-
        each of these dimensions of a flourishing Chris�an life. However, the first         sed Approach. Journal of Psy-
                                                                                            chology and Chris�anity 44(1),
        and most obvious connec�on between voli�on and Chris�an flourishing lies            4-14
        in agency. Human beings need to experience themselves as capable actors             Counted, V., Cowden, R. G., &
        who can make choices, set goals, pursue values, and adjust to changing cir-         Ramkissoon, H. (2021). Place
        cumstances. Without a func�oning will, individuals struggle to move toward          and post-pandemic flourishing:
        valued ends. Kroll’s framework helps make this visible. Ms. M’s stagna�on is        Disrup�on, adjustment, and he-
        not due to a lack of desire but to a breakdown in her ability to translate de-      althy behaviors. Springer Na-
                                                                                            ture.
        sire into ac�on whereas for Paul, his thorn led to finding a missional purpose      Counted, V., Garzon, F., Hatha-
        that strengthens his resolve to transform his story of thorn to a story of          way, W.L., McKinzie, G., Ste-
        grace. Ms. M’s paralyzing anxiety reflects a collapse of agency and misali-         phens, R., Francis, L.J. (2024).
        gnment with God’s missional purpose, a common experience for those fa-              Missional Psychotherapy: A
                                                                                            Hermeneu�c of Mental Health
        cing overwhelming transi�ons or major life disrup�ons.                              Care in Chris�an Counseling.
        From the perspec�ve of mo�va�on science, agency, and by extension, the              Journal of Psychology and
        will, is closely �ed to the sa�sfac�on of psychological needs. According to         Chris�anity 43(2), 190-204.
        Self-Determina�on Theory, people thrive when they experience autonomy               Counted, V., Long, K., Johnson,
                                                                                            B., Lee, M.T., Worthington Jr.,
        (i.e., able to make choices aligned with their values), competence (i.e., able      E., Fogleman, A., Johnson, E.,
        to effec�vely act), and relatedness (i.e., feeling connected to others). But        Garzon, F., Hathaway, W.L., Van-
        will is more than a psychological mechanism. It has a missional dimension           derWeele, T., (2025). The Indivi-
        that is rarely talked about. Within the framework of missional psychothera-         dual Domain of Chris�an Flou-
        py (Counted et al., 2024), the will is shaped and summoned through a four-          rishing: Conceptual Founda�-
        fold process: Personalize, Locate, Engage, Apply (PLEA). This model provides        ons and Measurement Tem-
                                                                                            plate. Journal of Psychology
        a redemp�ve path that reframes voli�on as not just self-directed but aligned        and Chris�anity 44(1), 15-38.
        with the redemp�ve mission of God.                                                  Cri�enden, P. (2005). Jus�ce,
        For individuals like Ms. M, early life experiences o�en fracture the founda�-       care and other virtues: A cri�-
        ons of healthy voli�on. In the Personalize task of missional therapy, the pro-      que of Kohlberg's theory of mo-
                                                                                            ral development. In Virtue
        cess begins with naming these disrup�ons—not to pathologize them but to             ethics and moral educa�on (pp.
        draw them into the light of divine concern. Wounds, weaknesses, and what            169-183). Routledge.


                                                           45
                                                            45
   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50