by Dr. Jim Newheiser During the past twenty years of working in a church-based biblical counseling ministry, in which I have tried to put these principles for change into practice, I have observed three general outcomes. Some counselees are quickly and radically transformed. I have seen cases in which a husband and wife who were already separated and moving toward divorce were in one session brought to heartbroken repentance as each confessed his or her own sin (Matthew 7:1-5) and granted forgiveness to the other, in light of the forgiveness we have received in the gospel (Ephesians 4:32; Matthew 18:21-35). I have also seen many cases in which the counselees went away sad and unchanged, like the rich young ruler […]
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The truth that God can work good out of this season of depression (Romans 8: 28) is a consolation to use sensitively. However, it’s not without biblical merit to suggest that God intends to use this season of suffering to spiritually refine both you and your teen. Let’s briefly consider three purposes. First, you may find that your teen’s depression serves as an opportunity for you to share the gospel with him or her. If your child has yet to place his or her hope in Christ, now is the time to extend God’s gracious invitation. It may be God’s plan that your teen comes to saving faith in Jesus because of this trial (Psalm 119:71). If your teen doesn’t […]
While it can be tempting to view your teen’s depression as pouting, or simply the result of hormone fluctuations, the truth is that your child’s despondency is an outward expression of internal unrest. It can be tempting to grow impatient with your teen’s emotional instability. Oftentimes, in frustration, parents may resort to trite slogans and superficial encouragements. Even so, a “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality is desperately insufficient to help our teens. In fact, any strategy that invites us to rely upon our own willpower for change is a limited resource at best, and painfully destructive at worst, “for not by might shall a man prevail” (1 Samuel 2:9). It’s important to view depression through a biblical lens. […]
Renewing Our Minds In Matthew 6, Jesus prescribes the remedy for anxiety. Having diagnosed the underlying problem of unbelief, Jesus proceeds to write a prescription for the worried mind. He fundamentally seeks to renew the disciples’ minds by grounding them in the truth about God and his relationship to them. We get anxious when we allow our minds to dwell on things that are not God-centered or Christ-exalting. We worry when our minds are divided between faith and unbelief, between today and tomorrow. Moving toward a mind settled upon truth requires two steps. Reassess Your Value System First, Jesus prescribes a reassessment. He asks, “Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6: 25). And […]
There is an important distinction we need to make when thinking about worry. Living without worry does not mean being reckless. There are matters that ought to concern us, things that deserve our immediate attention and action. Being carefree is not the same as being careless. We should, therefore, sometimes express intense care and concern for the advancement of the Lord’s work and the welfare of his people. There is such a thing as good worry and appropriate anxiety. We should be concerned about the welfare of our nation, the state of our own souls, the health of the church, the peril of the lost, the future of our children, and the care of our aged parents. The Christian is […]
We are pleased to announce that Help! I’m Addicted by Jim Berg is now in stock. Everybody knows somebody who is addicted to something. But maybe addiction is more personal for you. Maybe you once had real hopes and dreams, desires and possibilities. But then you became an addict, and what started out as fun or an attempt at relief from pain and shame grew into something bigger. Here Jim Berg shows that no matter how tangled your life has become, God offers you hope and help through his word and his people. Jim Berg, DMin in Biblical Counseling, teaches at BJU Seminary, is certified with the Association of Biblical Counselors (ABC), serves as a council member of the Biblical […]