If Jesus is Enough, Why Do I Need Counseling?
by Joe and Rebekah Leavell
Everywhere we turn these days there are people who are hurting. Even the people you look at and think couldn’t possibly be struggling at all may be the very person carrying some of the deepest wounds. How do we help when so often we are not even sure how to carry our own! How do we choose who to support? How do we find help for ourselves?
Jesus has the answer of course! But not only does He have the answer, He IS the answer to what we need!
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus’ words are so comforting and encouraging for those who trust in Him! We know that He is the one to whom we carry our deepest fears and deepest struggles. In Him we find our truest rest and peace!
This theme of God being our truest need runs throughout Scripture. David most poetically expresses this sentiment by writing,
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. - Psalm 46:1
Yet if in our darkest moments it is God who we need, and specifically it is Jesus who wants us to come to Him with our burdens, then why would we ever need anyone else? Why do we need the church? Why do the trials of this life still impact and hurt Christians of all maturity levels? Why would we ever need counsel from another person if we take our weariness and our heavy burdens to Christ?
Scripture says it this way,
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
These kinds of commands that are often called “one another” commands, are all over Scripture. In them we are commanded to love one another, pray for each other, help provoke each other to love and good works, encourage each other, forgive one another, sing to each other, and even confess our sins to one another. Each one of these 50 plus commands tell us of our responsibility to care for our fellow believers.
So wait, are we supposed to bring our burdens to Christ or are we supposed to bear each other’s burdens and obey all these other commands?
Yes.
At one time or another, regardless of our spiritual maturity, we will all face challenges, pains, and real struggles in this life. Scripture never indicates anywhere that “bearing one another’s burdens” is reserved for lesser Christians who need to learn to “get it together.”
So then, even if Christ has done His work of taking your sinful burden and replacing them with His love in your heart, the Bible indicates that we still have seasons in this life where you need real tangible help both spiritually and physically from our fellow Christians.
In this way, our support for each other through trials and pains are not meant to replace Christ, they are meant to reflect Christ’s work in meaningful ways. In loving each other through bearing our burdens, we fulfil Christ’s law of love.
How Do I Help?
How can we do this on a personal level when we see so many around us who are hurting and in need? It would be so much easier if we could simply give some money or make a blanket statement to everyone out there on social media.
Hey! Maybe we could start a hashtag movement!
#bearingburdens
Don’t forget your selfie!
The answer to the “how” isn’t found on social media, it’s found in Christ. How did He bear our burdens? How did He show us His love?
Did God remain seated on His throne in Heaven and just commission an angel to go and deal with us? Did He simply send us the Law and then presume that if we would just follow the written instructions then we’d be fine? Did He send an encouraging message with #thoughtsandprayers?
No, of course not. He came Himself, entered our world, and took our burdens as His very own. He looked a blind man in his sightless eyes and healed Him. He touched an unclean leper and made his skin clean. He welcomed children with open arms and rebuked those who would keep them from Him.
Jesus invested into deep conversations and long, personal, face to face mentoring with an inner circle of friends. He took time and developed personal relationships with individuals who were hurting or lost. Ultimately, He took our deepest problem of sin and put it on His own back and paid for the wrath that we deserve on the cross. Now, He invites all those who are weary and heavy burdened in this world to come to Him as the source of true and perfect rest.
So Where does Counseling Fit In?
We want to do more at BCA than to simply give you quick patented and pre-prepared biblical answers. As a reflection of Jesus, we want to see you, know you, enter into your hurt, and love you well! This is why we ask you lots of invasive questions, invest in your life, know your story, and seek to see and understand you before responding.
This is also why we counsel you to be a part of a healthy, local church that faithfully teaches the Bible and loves the hurting well. Counseling is only intended to be a taste of what a more long term relationship with the body of Christ is meant to look like as you go through life together.
In this way, our desire is not only to help you bear your burden, but to make sure that you are in a strong place where your burdens will be cared for through your life. Once you are in a healthy place, you in turn, could potentially be able to help others who are hurting within your church.
Caring Isn’t Just for Pastors and Counselors
How about you? Who do you know that is hurting that you could help and support?
If you don’t know anyone personally then just start with having some real conversations with those God has put into your life. Start with your small group at church, or the neighbors who live by you, or maybe the co-worker you interact with practically every day.
You don’t need to bear the burdens of the whole world. That’s God’s job. Start with seeing and caring for just one person.
BCA Can Help
If you are in a season where you really need someone to particularly bear your burdens with you, then please don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Biblical Counseling of Arizona. It is important to be careful with who you allow to speak into your personal pain.
We are not your Savior and will not try to be. We also cannot and should not be a replacement for your church but we can be an extension of the church and Jesus’ love. We will seek to faithfully point you to Christ who invites you to come and rest and who will ultimately care for your soul. Yet as a reflection of that work, the counselors at BCA will sit with you in with compassion in their hearts and care for you by sharing wisdom from God’s Word and walk with you until you return to a place of health. We are honored to know and love you with Christ’s love!
