What do you think when you hear the word, Survival Guide? Google it and numerous sites appear regarding how to survive a disaster. Ninth on this list is a website predicting the biggest disaster yet to come-the end of the world. They say it will occur on December 12, 2012. There will be massive flooding and devastating earthquakes like no one has ever seen before. Supposedly, this is due to an ancient planet called Nibiru that is headed directly at the Earth. Their solution is to stock pile food and water, move inland and build a safe shelter.
Jesus Christ is the true Survival Guide. He helps every Christian endure in the midst of their perilous life situations (Psalms 23). He gladly bears our burdens and delights with our requests (Psalms 38:19). Likewise, all Christians have been commanded to bear others' burdens (Galatians 6:2, NASB).
As for my calling as a Christian counselor, I think that God is daily allowing me to go through various trials so that I can better assist my future clients. Since He is the same yesterday, today and forever, He knows exactly who will cross my path. In essence, I will become their Survival Guide.
I believe that it is true that Jesus Christ is our complete Survival Guide. We can do nothing without Him. When we are facing devastating circumstances in life, (that could feel like a huge planet headed in our direction) we need to not worry, because He "is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think..." (Ephesians 3:20) As we personally go through those difficult times, God allows us to go through them for a reason: a reason for His glory. It has been said that "God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but make us comforters." The Scripture teaches us in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the same comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." We are truly to be used as God's instruments to point people to Jesus as we seek to help them in their times of trouble. And it is all for His Glory.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the world goes to counselors/psychologists/psychiatrists for their troubles. Unfortunately they don't often choose a Christian counselor. While problems will always be there, seeing how they can be used for the furthering of God's kingdom is overlooked by the secular world. Depending upon Jesus for answers to your problems/situations is the only real answer to them.
ReplyDeleteSurvival Guide: The Bible and Prayer.
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