Describe how you deal with sin in counseling. Use a case history, in
which you were the counselor, to show how you dealt with sin.
Since the fall of
man into sin in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3) the whole earth has been permeated
with wrong, and it’s effects in a way that I cannot adequately communicate with
words (Jeremiah 17:9, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Ephesians 2:1-3). The first persons’ sin I need to deal in
counseling is myself (Psalm 51:5). It is
vital that I as a counselor know Christ as Saviour (John 3:16-17), and have
been personally redeemed by Christ (1 Peter 1:17-21, Galatians 3:13) I must keep
short accounts with my Saviour (Hebrews 4:16, James 5:16, Psalm 32:5, 1 John 1:9),
repent often and restore my fellowship with God and others (Luke 17:3-4, Acts
3:19). I am a wicked sin machine
(Ephesians 2:1-3), loved by a gracious God who forgives (Ephesians 2:4-7),
enables me to stop sinning (Ephesians 4:17-25), change (2 Corinthians 5:17),
and Who is helping me recognize my own sinfulness daily, and growing me in
sanctification to become more like Him (2 Peter 3:18). I have to be right with Him vertically, and
others horizontally in order to effectively minister truth to counselees.
In dealing with
counselees’ sin I like to ask questions to probe their understanding of their
choices, thoughts, and actions to see what their hamartiology practically looks
like. Such as; “What do you think God
thinks about that?” “What does the Bible
say about your choice?” Observation of
their words, tone, facial expression and body language will help me pick up on
what they believe about sin in general, and the specific one(s) we are dealing
with in their heart and life. At times
in counseling I have done a mini-study to define sin to a counselee if
needed. Explaining sin is; anything that
we think, say or do that is against God’s standard (the Bible). I use
Scriptures, asking them to look up, and read together with me some of the
following; Genesis 3, Romans 3:9-23, Romans 6-8, and Romans 14:23 which says;
“for whatever is not from faith is sin.”
This encompasses worry, fear, doubt, pride, and so much more.
Once the counselee
comes to the place that they admit what they have done is in fact sin I urge
them to confess to God, and when necessary to others; telling Him (and them if
to another person(s)) it was wrong, they are sorry, and request
forgiveness. I explain that repentance
isn’t regretting you were caught, but sincerely wanting to change the course of
their actions/thinking. At times I have
bowed then and there with a counselee and allowed them to pray in repentance to
God. Then I will encourage them from
Scripture (1 John 1:9, Psalm 103:8-12, Romans 8:1) that God promises He has
forgiven, forgotten, restored them and holds no condemnation over them. I challenge them they need to address sin
seriously, each and every time confessing to God and others. No, our sin does not remove His favour and
grace from us, but it breaks fellowship, is serious, and needs to be taken
seriously and dealt with every time we sin (Romans 6). I
seek to be balanced in addressing sin; speaking the truth in love (Ephesians
4:15), letting them know I sin too, and that I repented this morning (or whenever
was the last time). A realistic goal in
counseling is not necessarily to have the person stop the sin (though this is
ideal, and not impossible, we will continue to fail until we reach heaven) but
to arm themselves against the temptation with an alternative righteous plan,
and an understanding that when and if they do fail to repent, seek
reconciliation and claim His grace, and get back up and try again (not spiral
down into more and more sin and further from God).
As example from my
own counseling experience I was working with a girl who worried. When she came to see from Scripture that
worry is a sin (Philippians 4:6-9, Matthew 6:25-34), not an excusable character
flaw she inherited. She prayed aloud to
confess this habit, and a specific recent occasion of worry to God, asked Him
for forgiveness, and requested help from Him to change her thinking. Worry is still an ongoing sin struggle in her
life, but it has improved. She still
needs to confess often, but is seeing growth, and celebrating God’s grace as He
helps her live by faith, not by sight, and to trust Him with her
circumstances.
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