Page 20 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 9

suffering as inevitably bad and thus to be avo- our willfulness and sin, some the result of being
ided at all costs. A thorough reading of the Bible fallen creatures (this would include the simpler
leads to the inescapable conclusion that a life of problems and things that might be diagnosed)
living for God involves suffering – in fact, more some the inevitable result of following him in
suffering that one might have had if he or she a hostile world, and some from our misappro-
were outside the faith. Joseph or Job are pro- priation of faith in the midst of hardship.
totypal examples from the Old Testament, and The mission of the Christian counselor, then, is
Paul in the New. Above them all is Jesus who to formulate how the person is moving toward
“for the joy set before him endured the cross, Christlikeness, what hindrances are in the way,
despising the shame,” (Hebrews 12:2). This what suffering is normal and what is not, and
means the Christian counselor should be slow how to steer the person on the way to these
to seek the alleviation of pain until one can see goals so that their lives are God-centered. Be-
the context and meaning of it. To be clear: suf- neath this umbrella may be the need for clarity
fering is still suffering, and all of us would prefer in understanding the nature of the Christian
a world without it, but that world is yet to come. life and being in the world as redeemed sinners,
The issue for now is what does suffering repre- or a clearer understanding of suffering combi-
sent in light of the goals we have presented? A ned with a wise way of coping with it when it
fear of speaking is suffering that might easily be cannot be eliminated, or even stepping forward
remedied, but what of the suffering of attending in faith toward righteousness when it might ex-
to a spouse with Alzheimer’s? Or of standing up acerbate suffering. It may involve stepping into
for Christ in a workplace hostile to faith? community with the risks that involves, and
promoting healthy relationships with others.
One must also consider that faith may mani- Sometimes this will be more like removing a
fest itself in unhealthy ways, and correcting this splinter, and sometimes more like treatment
may be part of what needs to happen in coun- of aggressive cancer (if I can invoke a medical
seling. Many men have justified unloving beha- metaphor). Our biblical worldview shapes our
vior toward their wives in the name of exerting understanding of the meaning of life and suffe-
authority over them. Others, confused by mo- ring, and the nature of persons as made in God’s
dern ideas of life being constant pleasure, blame image yet born with a proclivity to sin. Secular
God for hard times and either feel he is angry psychology can offer us insights into how these
with them or punishing them for some sin in things manifest themselves in life and even give
their lives. Even secular authors such as Parga- some helpful suggestions to understanding how
ment (summarized in Sisemore, 2015, Chapter we become tangled in our thoughts and emoti-
11) have shown the negative outcomes of coun- ons. It also can offer some techniques that may
seling when these issues are left unaddressed. help in pursuing the goals we have discussed.
Pargament (2007) has even developed a mo-
del of spiritually-oriented psychotherapy built One last observation is the degree to which one
around a generic treatment of the problems that particular form of secular therapy can be adap-
may occur in pursuing meaning through faith. ted to fit these goals, and that is Acceptance and
While it is not explicitly Christian, it concedes Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl,
that faith concerns may themselves be part of (if & Wilson, 2012). There are some challenges in
not most of) the problems that bring people in so doing (Sisemore, 2014), but here is the basic
for counseling. idea. ACT argues that life is about rallying be-
Summarizing the Goals of Christian Counse- havior to serve one’s values, accepting that there
ling may be suffering along the way. It is less about
eliminating suffering, but limiting suffering to
Pulling some of this together, in the Christian’s the inevitable challenges for living into one’s va-
pursuit of union and communion with God and lues. For Christians, this translates to aligning
others, God in his providence will interject suf- our lives and goals with the ultimate goals of
ferings at times. Some of this will be the result of union and communion with Christ and fellow-

19