Competent to Counsel - Ch 1

Summary
This book is rather old by now, being originally written in 1970, however it is not obsolete. Its diatribe against Freudian ethics is still relevant today, with its main points being:
1) Lack of personal responsibility for irresponsible behavior is fueling and not solving the dilemma psychologists face today.
2) Removing guilt vs acknowledging guilt attempts to solve the problem, but instead overlooks it.
3) Is mental illness the underlying issue, or is it sin?

Mixed in with all this is the affirmation that ministers who are properly trained in the Word can be not only competent to counsel but better suited than psychiatrists, which flies in the face of psychiatry.

Personal reflection
I believe there are people out there who are truly mentally ill(which the author does not dispute, but merely states that many are mistakenly labeled as mentally ill--more on that in Ch. 2). I also believe many well-intentioned Christian people misapply the Word of God and do more harm than good, usually when they try to counsel in their own strength and not God’s. But I do believe that counsel that is led of the Spirit and the Word is more effective than anything we have out there today. Our world is comprised of both the physical and the spiritual. As Christians we are aiming to seek the things above, and to see with spiritual eyes. Moreover we believe that the Word of God is living and powerful and can change lives and offer hope to one that is in despair. We believe we are working out our own salvation and will be in the process of sanctification until we die, therefore we do not believe in human perfection, but of the natural tendency to sin. If anything we acknowledge the need for grace and of the atoning sacrifice of Christ for redemption of sin. An unsaved counselor can only see with his physical eyes or through the veil of his own unconfessed/unconfronted sin, and thereby misses dealing with the entire spiritual side of life, and misses the source of all life that we are to draw our strength from: God.

Scripture
Sought after counsel from godly people. This counsel is pleasant:
Job 29:21-25
21 "Men listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel.
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears.
23 They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain.
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them. [a]
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners.

Proverbs 27:9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.


Blessed to avoid wicked counsel:
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.


Counsel from the Lord:
Proverbs 8:14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.


Wise and godly counselors needed:
Proverbs 15:22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Isaiah 41:28 I look but there is no one— no one among them to give counsel, no one to give answer when I ask them.

Jeremiah 49:7 Almighty says: "Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed?