Competent to Counsel - Ch 3

Summary
In this chapter the author conveys that a lot of people with “mental illness” basically just have unsolved personal problems. That is, there is nothing wrong with their minds, they just have a faulty “habitual response pattern,” (1970, p. 34) which is learned or behavioral and not organic. These people with unsolved personal problems increasingly use bizarre behavior as a “camouflage” to cover up their problems after having positive results in doing this in the past. If this behavior continues having success, it becomes the natural (habitual) way to deal with sin. And if this behavior pattern is not broken, the person’s deviant behavior may escalate until they are institutionalized.

The case study of Leo Held was given, a man who harbored resentment and anger in his heart and eventually went on a shooting rampage. According to the book of Proverbs, those who let anger and hatred reign in their hearts and bottle those emotions within give a foothold to the enemy and a slew of other problems—“…there are seven abominations in his heart”(Prov. 26:24-25).

Personal reflection
Truly at times an organic illness of the mind such as a chemical imbalance or damage to brain tissue from tumor or injury can be the cause of mental illness. But there are others who are not so much mentally ill but unwilling or unprepared to deal with their emotions and circumstances. Their behavior needs to be assessed, confronted, confessed and redirected with the Word.

I know that the Lord has used friends in my life to confront me with my habitual behavior at times, to open my eyes to the truth and help me see the sin that I had become blinded to. Which at first made me defensive, but after confessing the sin to God and asking His forgiveness, I received healing and was able to surrender those areas of my life to God(1 John 1:9).

Scripture
Hatred
Proverbs 26:24-25 24Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; 25 when he speaks graciously, believe him not for there are seven abominations in his heart;

Confrontation with sin
Ecclesiastes 7:5 It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.

Proverbs 1:23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.

Proverbs 3:11-12 11 My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, 12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father [a] the son he delights in.
Proverbs 9:8 Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

Proverbs 13:1 A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

Proverbs 15:31 He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.

Proverbs 17:10 A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool.

Proverbs 19:25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.

Proverbs 22:23 He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue.

Proverbs 29:1 A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

Luke 17:3 So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.”

2 Tim. 4:2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Hebrews 12:4-6 4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

Confession of sin
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Repentance from sin
Revelations 3:19-20 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Isaiah 30:15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

Luke 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Acts 20:21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Acts 26:20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.

God’s kindness leads to repentance
Romans 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Godly sorrow leads to repentance
2 Corinth. 7:8-10 8Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

God grants repentance that leads to a knowledge of the truth
2 Tim. 2:24-26 24And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Adams, J.E. (1970). Competent to Counsel. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.