Various things come to mind when we use the word counseling or counselor.
The most common counseling is clinical. The kind where a person sits across from a professional and reveals their inner self. The type not for the faint of heart.
In its original setting, our text announces the birth of a Prince in the royal line of David—the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth—and gives Him a list of titles that boggle the imagination. According to the NIV Study Bible, this Wonderful Counselor and Son of David will conduct a royal program to astound the world.
The gospels do not call Jesus a counselor, but Jesus does refer to the coming of another Comforter or Helper. This Counselor is the Holy Spirit, meaning Jesus’s ministry included counseling.
Jesus manifested all the marks of a great counselor. He cared for people, listened to them, and returned them to the source of their mental and emotional disorders for resolution.
Jesus did this for impetuous Peter. While Peter warmed himself at a fire in the high priest’s palace courtyard, some bystanders recognized him as a follower of Jesus. Afraid for his life, Peter denied Jesus. Then, realizing he had violated his promise to stick by his Lord even to death, Peter stole away in the dark—a broken man. After the resurrection, however, Jesus took him aside, confronted him gently, and removed his agony.
Typically, we reveal our inner self only to a select few. But Jesus waits for us to include Him. He wants to become our favorite therapist to confront, expose, reveal, and heal us.
In what ways can you take your pain to the best Counselor?
(photo courtesy of pixabay.com.)
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A native of South Africa, Philip Siebbeles lives in Harrells, North Carolina. An ordained elder in the Wesleyan church, he currently serves as interim pastor at Rockfish Presbyterian Church in Wallace, NC. He recently retired from teaching religion courses at James Sprunt Community College. His wife is a retired psychiatric nurse, so he claims to be in good hands. He loves to walk their lab, Potter, in the garden, watch PBS with Ellen, and create Bible study guides to help people analyze the text for themselves.