Virtues of Counselors (II)—Be Filled with the Love of God

The distinction between Christian counseling and secular counseling lies in the perspective that we view problems through – the lens of God. In our previous discussion, we touched upon two virtues a Christian must possess while providing counseling: the image of Christ and a close relationship with Christ, while also exploring the tools available to us in this spiritual warfare – the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. This time, we will continue to examine the virtues of a counselor, considering how a Christian counselor should be filled with the love of God.

A counselor must be filled with the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and the love of God. If not imbued with the love of God, persisting on the counseling journey can become exceedingly challenging. On the other hand, if we are filled with the love of God, a love stronger than death itself, we will have the strength to continue loving and assisting our brothers and sisters.

The love of God helps us to endure all things, believe all things, hope all things, and bear all things. This love, originating from Christ, has never failed, enabling us to make personal sacrifices. Thus, if we aspire to become counselors who can assist our brothers and sisters, we must be filled with the love of Christ.

Being a Christian filled with the love of God is tremendously beneficial for counseling and those being counseled. It means that the entire body – the Church – will be closely linked and united. Consequently, this serves a dual purpose of edifying both the counselor and the counseled, fostering the Church as a whole, and showcasing the glory of God.

If we are passionate counselors, we will discover that the love of God allows us to navigate conflicts safely. Firstly, the love of God doesn’t equate to tolerating sin. Secondly, the love of God isn’t condescending. To conduct counseling, we must adopt a humble attitude, avoiding a high view of ourselves. In fact, the opportunity for counseling granted to us by God is a chance for self-reflection, to recognize our weaknesses, and to understand God’s mercy towards us.

In summary, the love of God is an indispensable virtue in the work of psychological counseling. We need God’s love to inspire us. We need God’s love to enable us to continue our work during times of hardship and exhaustion. We need God’s love because, without it, we cannot serve God genuinely, let alone in the long term. Love not only promotes growth but also covers a multitude of sins.

Therefore, to be a good, holy counselor, we need to draw near to God and bear the beautiful image of Christ. And because we walk with God, have the same heart as God, we also share the same love of God.

I invite you to join us on this journey of love for God and for one another by taking the first step in attending our Fall Evangelical Services and Spiritual Convocation (ESSC) from September 14 to 17, 2023 at our church located as follows:

4N550 Church Road
Bensenville, IL 60106
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For online streaming, please click here.

For regular service hours, please click here.

Email us at ilovejesus@tjc-chicago.org