This is a weekly post that highlights resources from other counselors that I have found helpful. The counselors may be from the biblical counseling, Christian psychology, integration, or secular counseling traditions. By linking to a post, I am not giving it my full endorsement, I am merely indicating that I believe it made a unique contribution or raised an important subject for consideration.
The Gospel for Shame by Ed Welch
We cannot miss the opportunity to talk about the gospel for shame in this particular era. The glory of Christ is that forgiveness of sin is through him alone. Jesus is the Lord God. We come to the Father through his death for sin as our substitute. Then, for the rest of time, we consider the endless meaning and application of this gospel, for which forgiveness of sins is a kind of shorthand. Among the realities that are bundled into forgiveness is that the gospel is for our sin and shame.
- If you benefited from this article, you might also like “God’s Words for Our Shame: Psalm 3“
5 Ways to Help the Depressed Among Us by Silverio Gonzalez
Some people struggle with deep depression, past failings, or past tragedies. Some people just get depressed because of the way they are wired. Sometimes there are medical conditions that cause depression; sometimes there is no clear explanation as to why a person is depressed. I am a person who has struggled with some deep depression, and I want to share five ways to help depressed people that have consistently benefited me:
- If you enjoyed this post, you might also like “Depression: Belief-Behavior and/or Body-Brain?“
Why Moral Failure Happens When Ministry Is Going Great by Mike MacKenzie
Working with such couples, I’ve found it interesting to note when the affairs happen. Often pastors get into an affair when ministry is going well, when they are achieving their ministerial career goals and dreams. Why is this so? Why would someone have an affair when everything seems to be going well?
- Often, in ministry, one of the great challenges is having a lot of people know you, but not being known by anyone. This article “From Telling Your Story to Being Known,” while written for a slightly different audience, can help with that.
Can Fear of Success Become an Obstacle? by Theo Tsaousides
One concept I always have difficulty wrapping my head around is fear of success. Why would people be afraid of success? Fear of failure makes a lot more sense, failure can be scary, but success? What’s so scary about success?
- If you enjoyed this article, you might also like The Dangerous Double Meaning of “Better”.
What I’m Reading
Biblical Counseling Basics: Roots, Beliefs, and Future by Jeremy Lelek. In Biblical Counseling Basics, Dr. Jeremy Lelek offers a comprehensive approach to biblical counseling, beginning by retracing the movement’s history, then exploring its basic tenets, and finally providing helpful insight for the future of biblical counseling.
Helping to connect the dots between soul care and theology, and including real life case studies, this resource encourages readers to apply theology to current issues and the here-and-now needs of others.
Biblical Counseling Basics encourages counselors that the use of the Bible is central to their practices and development. Offering the Bible as the preeminent resource to address even the most complex mental and emotional struggles, Biblical Counseling Basics reminds readers that the finished work of Christ is the greatest hope for all believers.
Tweets of the Week
I think "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder" should be renamed "Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome." The physiological and emotional responses to trauma are not disordered. Rather they are almost uniform from person to person and are quite normal. @DianeLangberg
— Kelly Noll (@kellynoll71) July 1, 2018
Why did the Israelites wander for 40 years on what was supposed to be a 6 month journey?
God didn’t just get the people out of Egypt.
He had to get Egypt out of the people.Spiritual maturity takes time.
— Robby Gallaty (@Rgallaty) June 30, 2018
Good works do not create holiness originally, although they promote its further development.
— Geerhardus Vos (@Geerhardus_Vos) June 28, 2018
Meaningful Meme
On the Lighter Side
Because, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones,” Proverbs 17:22.
If golf and soccer switched announcers… pic.twitter.com/W0qr4n3GWx
— John Crist (@johnbcrist) July 2, 2018