CO131 Integrative Counseling UNIT 4 The Sufficiency of Scripture By Dave Owen We who have the calling to minister to the body of Christ through counseling, are obligated, to continue our own soul care. We need to search out answers in our own lives for Gods purposes and how we fit into his kingdom plan. The only way we can help others is if we are connected to the vine, John 15:1-8. All of us are created in God’s image, that includes the attribute of emotions, and scripture helps us in the understanding of emotions, good and bad. In Proverbs 27: 19 “As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man”. Our hearts reveal so much about where we are in this journey in life. In Ecclesiastes 11:10, “So remove grief and anger from your heart and put away apain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.” The Bible is an endless source wisdom and knowledge providing a solid foundation as we seek to become who we are called to be in Christ, and to be an agent for his Kingdom. There have been so many advances through sociology and psychology leading in the diagnoses of conditions and providing definitions of problems clients face, but the treatments fall short as we see repeatedly that the secular models cannot deliver, and clients are left with broken promises. And this is the reason why counseling integration is so critical. Our creator knows us best and his guiding word reveals the key revelations of our conditions, and ignoring such, leads down another rabbit hole. We might get temporary relief as science can provide, but the healing of the soul is not addressed, leaving the client to look more a self instead of the transcendent. As the professor points out in this course, we must be willing to re- examine our believes and conclusions both on the scientific and theological side, as more and more new information comes out that can counter current believes or can provide clarity. An example of how scientific misunderstood the results of studies of children raised in broken families where parents are divorced was as follows: they found the children had many problems into adulthood causing them not to function well and not to succeed. But recent research revealed that unresolved hostility and issues in a family was found to be the main contributing factor as children mature, in their modes and feelings. This course has revealed that the Christian worldview should not be violated to be an affective integrated counselor as we seek God’s word as the superior source for answers. We should pursue new information, as it is not a threat, but should be measured through the lens of Gods revelation. And with the understanding beliefs can be revisited and examined with prayer, letting the spirit guide us. We should seek the scriptures with humility, and this is foundational, as we don’t have the mind of God and as we know from scripture, his ways are not our ways as stated in Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.” And all Scientific methods are reviewable as well, as new ways of collecting statistical data can reveal better understanding. But again, Christian worldview should not be violated when science conflicts with scripture. The Scripture is sufficient for Truth-Telling but this after we have used active listening in the counseling setting, and the trust has been established. Sociology tells people to think of themselves first and search for self-fulfillment, but this can lead to fleeting results and temporary relief and can make things worse. True healing comes from the painful truth that doesn’t hurt us but instead, it can start the healing process. People and families can be freed up once the truth comes out because family members tend to know even when things are not clear, that something is wrong, and something doesn’t add up. In the Bible, God reveals, we can find comfort in him that the world does not offer, like stated in Matthew 6:25-34, God reveals the we do not need to worry about our lives, he will meet all our needs. In Philippians 4:6-7 he tells us “ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The comfort God provides is transcendent and unexplainable through the secular worldview, as it comes to us through God’s grace and not of ourselves.