20. Would you work cooperatively
with a physician? A psychologist? Justify your answers biblically.
I
believe that each counseling case requires its’ own wisdom, and decisions. It would really depend on the situation/counselee
and the medical professional in question in each case. There would be many questions I would have
before working cooperatively with any medical professional. Are they a believer in Christ? Will they whole-heartedly support the biblical
counsel I am providing? Or undermine and
second guess at every turn? Can we work
collaboratively or are they in opposition to biblical counseling? Scripture says; “holding fast the faithful
word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to
exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” (Titus 1:9) That would be my aim in these scenarios; hold
to Scriptural truth and help others to do the same. If a counselee chooses to side with secular
psychology, ignoring/denying or refusing truth we may have to terminate our
counseling sessions.
Personally
I have endometriosis, and have greatly benefitted from advice, medication,
surgery, and a psychological review (required after a severe allergic reaction,
intense medical intervention, and bouts of psychosis) from physicians and a
psychologist. “They” are not an
enemy. We as people are physical, as
well as spiritual. Body and soul; those
two parts of our being overlap, effecting one another. It can be very beneficial, even necessary to
understand what a counselee deals with biologically in order to properly
counsel them, empathize, and give them biblical guidance to dealing with the
heart issues that may flow out of physical ones. I would never seek to offer medical advice as
I am not a doctor. Medical professionals
are needed to address bodily health concerns, and their input may be beneficial
in aiding me understand a counselee better, a disease or ailment they have, and
the mental effects proven to develop from said condition.
Many
medical professionals have evolution as their anthropological view, and secular
psychology as their preferred method of addressing issues beyond the
biological. Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against
Me” (Matt. 12:30). It is important to note that, and to discern
carefully as both counselees and counselors in receiving aid. I don’t feel we need to “throw the baby out
with the bath water” and refuse all medical attention, or completely discredit
their practice. We ought to seek their
help in the field they specialize-medicine. For issues of the heart, God’s truth and
biblical counsel ought to be sought and facilitated. “…seeing that His divine power has granted to
us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of
Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” (2 Peter 1:3) We live in this world, in physical bodies,
but are called to not be “of the world” (1 John 2:15) in how we conduct
ourselves, Whose standards, opinions and counsel we seek. I hope I have sufficiently answered this
question, and am prayerful that God will go before me and grant wisdom (James
1:5) when I am faced with these decisions as a biblical counselor. I cannot concretely say “Yes” or “No”, but
would evaluate each situation according to these principles and Scripture.
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