“Helpful Counselling”, Class 2, John Partington, Thames Valley churches of Christ

John's Definition: "Counselling is a means of exploring ‘self’ to gain awareness, understanding and acceptance."

 

“Its not what happens to us that is the significant thing. It is how we view what happens that shapes us.”

 

Spiritual maturity depends upon avoiding seeing ourselves as victims. What gets in the way of such maturity?

• Defending self – defence mechanisms - denial, regression, projection, blame.
• Hiding self – isolation, emotionally closing down
• False self – portraying what we think others want us to be, mask
• Inflated self – narcissistic, the world revolves around me, ‘look at me’.
• Self – gratification – using ‘things’ to fill an emotional or spiritual hole, overeating, addiction, indulgence.
• Punishing self – self loathing, self harm, suicide.
• Rather than explore ‘self’ the above try to protect self.

How do we explore self? We expose our vulnerability. The power of the redemptive gospel is about healing dysfunctions due to seeing either perpetrated upon us, or by us.

 

The truth can set us free (John 8) - if we search for it as an adult. Secrets keep us sick.

 

Our path to spiritual maturity and healing is through honesty, openness and willingness to face truth and accept God’s acceptance of us. This is not possible by human means alone, but by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.

 

Thank you for listening to this podcast. You can find more episodes in our feed. Our web site is http://www.tvcoc.org. 

 

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

 

Do you have a question about the Bible or the Christian faith? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send us your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: tvcochrist@gmail.com.

 

Thanks again for listening. Have a super day.

 

God bless,

 

Malcolm

 

Reading, tvcoc, Thames Valley churches of Christ, ICOC, Tim Dannatt, Malcolm Cox, ICCM, Lower Earley, Southampton, Winchester, High Wycombe, Oxford, Banbury, Deepcut, Frimley, Basingstoke, Salisbury, Amesbury, Sunday School, Reading University, Youth Ministry, Bracknell, Bracknell Leisure Centre, Shevvy Dannatt, Mark Abril, Rachel Abril, Churches of Christ, Christian churches near me, tv coc, International church, churches close to me, Thames Valley, Thames Valley location, Thames Valley church of Christ, the Thames Valley,