“Help!!! I need someone! Help!!! Not just anyone…. Won’t you PLEEEEEEAAAAAASSSE help me….ooooh!!!!”
It’s been quite a few years since the Beatles introduced those words to the world (and no, I wasn’t around for the debut). Still, around the end of June as we were getting ready to celebrate the 4th of July, I could seriously relate.
I needed help! It had been a few weeks since the Holy Spirit began working on my heart trying to get me to deal with some issues that I’d buried and ignored over the years. Quite frankly, I was getting a little sick of the struggle. I mean, it was summer, my favorite time of the year. Honestly the last thing on my “to do” list was deal with issues of grief and guilt that were buried in my heart. Yet, when these issues began interfering with my everyday life and even keeping me up at night with dreams of things that happened in the past, I reached my breaking point. I was ready to agree with the Holy Spirit and face whatever He wanted me to deal with once and for all. The only problem was that I was stuck. I would pray, talk to God, and talk to my brother until I’m sure he was sick of listening, and yet it seemed like nothing was breaking through the wall of pain and guilt in my heart and mind. It was so frustrating! I knew there was a problem, I was ready to deal with the problem (because honestly I was Sick. Of. It.), and yet it seemed like I was doing all I could and making no progress. Then I decided to call a friend who had experience as a counselor. It was my cry for someone to PLEEEEEAAAASSSSE help me (without the “ooooohhhhh” on the end). And I am so glad that I did. Although I’m not sure that my friend was expecting to hold an impromptu counseling session on the phone that day, I’m so glad that she made herself available. At first, she listened while I told about my struggle. From time to time she inserted words of wisdom and pointed truth that I needed to hear and face. Then after we talked for awhile, she prayed. And oh, the anointing that was on that prayer—-you could feel it through the phone. As she prayed, something broke inside of my heart. Like a flood, the tears poured out as the pain came rushing to the forefront of my mind. All of that talking combined with the power of her prayer broke the barrier inside of me that was keeping me from facing the pain that needed to be removed from my heart. When she finished praying I was so overwhelmed that I couldn’t even talk (now there’s a new one!) I just cried and cried. Finally, the wall around my heart was broken and I could begin walking out the steps to healing and freedom once again. After we talked, I was once again reminded of one of the key principles to Finding Healing: the value of godly counsel. There comes a point in all of our lives when we need help. When we don't know what to do, which way to turn, or how to help ourselves. It's during these times that we need back-up, reinforcements---someone else to offer guidance, advice, and wisdom so that we can see through the fog and get back on the right path again. This is the purpose of counseling. One of the biggest lies that the enemy tries to feed us is that we don’t need the help of other people to solve our problems. We should be able to make it on our own—-just us and God. And while I firmly believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to work in the life of an individual, in my own life I’ve seen that God often uses other people to help us find healing. Sometimes this help comes from a trained, professional counselor or a pastor. Other times it comes from a trusted friend with a mature relationship with Jesus who is willing to listen to you share your heart and point you in the right direction. The important thing to remember is that there is no shame in asking for help. You don’t need to face every battle on your own. Instead, God has given us people who are able to help us—-to listen, to speak truth, to pray, and to most importantly lead us back to Him and remind us of the Biblical truths that will heal our hearts. Each of us will go through days and struggles where we just need HELP. Where we send out an S.O.S. saying “I can’t do this on my own, will you help me continue on the path to healing and freedom?” During those times when we are unashamed to reach out for a mature, spirit-filled, Bible believing Christian to help us, we will find that we are not alone, rather God has supplied someone to help us through the struggle and onward to victory. So my encouragement to you this week—-Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s okay. We all need help from time to time. That’s why God has given us one another. It’s hard to walk the path to Finding Healing alone, that’s why God give us godly friends and counselors—-to come along side of us and give us the strength and courage to keep moving forward. I’m so thankful for them!
Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. (James 5:16) Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. (Ecclesiastes 4:9)
For Tips on How to Make the Most of a Counseling Session, Read FINDING HEALING.....
