My parents and brothers sat down with me one day and suggested that I go to counseling. They felt that it would be good for me to meet with someone and talk through my situation. At first, I was hesitant to do it. For several reasons, I drug my feet and put it off. But finally, after repeated encouragement from my family, I went.
You know what? I'm glad I did. It helped me in a big way. No, my life didn't turn perfect because of it. But I can tell you it did play a major role in changing the direction of where I was headed. Still today, I thank God for the counseling I received. It was the right thing for me to do, and it really was a blessing!
Are you dealing with some tough matters in your life? Let me encourage you to do something: Go to counseling. Seriously. Just do it. It'll play a huge role in helping you process thoughts, manage emotions, and make decisions.
The Bible advocates counseling:
Proverbs 11:14 - "Where there is no guidance, the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory."
Proverbs 13:10 - "wisdom is with those who receive counsel."
Proverbs 15:22 - "Without consultation, plans are frustrated. But with many counselors they succeed."
Proverbs 12:18 - "the tongue of the wise brings healing."
A good, wise counselor offers an objective point of view and helps us see things a little more clearly. And he or she can be an effective sounding board for sorting through our thoughts and feelings. Of course, a counselor can also give us helpful suggestions that we may never have come up with on our own.
Some people say, "I don't need counseling. I just need to read my Bible more and pray more." Listen, I'm all for reading the Bible more and praying more. By all means, do that! But counseling is still an effective way by which God brings help and healing into our lives. God can speak to us through a wise counselor. Furthermore, God is all for counseling. He did tell us in His word to seek it.
Go to one who is proven and trained. There are plenty of licensed, educated counselors out there. It just makes sense to talk with someone who has spent a lot of time learning and growing themselves.
Yes, it can cost you a little bit of money. But you can get it at an affordable rate. Lots of insurance plans help with this, which is a good thing.
On a personal note, I chose to meet with one who is a Christian. That felt right for me. I wanted to talk with someone who was going to come at me from the same belief and value system. Some people may disagree with me on this, and that's ok. That just really mattered to me, and I am glad I went that route.
Finally, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Yes, I met with a counselor a few years ago. I am not embarrassed one bit about it. My only regret is that I did not do it sooner. There's no shame in getting help that all of us flawed human beings need from time to time.
If you're hurting in any way, please seek help. Seriously. It's ok. Don't go through life struggling all alone when there are positive, God-ordained resources available to help you. Just make that phone call, set up the appointment, and go. You'll be so glad you did. And it'll help you get a better grip on what's happening in your life.
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P.S. I'd like to offer you some links if you are considering counseling. Just click on the links, and they will take you to websites for different counselors. This will help you learn more about who they are and how to get in touch with them. Also, these counselors have not asked me to link to their practices. They don't even know I'm writing this. They're just good people I respect and recommend to you:
If you're here in the Sumter area, try THIS.
Also, if you're near Columbia, try THIS.
Finally, no matter who you are or where you live, you'll be blessed if you try THIS.
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