We’ve all heard the old counselor “light bulb” joke:
Q: “How many therapists does it take to change a light bulb? A: Just one, but
the light bulb really has to want to change.” But have you heard this one? Q:
“How many Presbyterians does it take to change a light bulb? A: None. God
either has or has not ordained the light bulb’s change.” I think the joke is
funny even though it is a bit unfair to Presbyterians. It does, nevertheless,
raise an interesting question about God’s role in people’s therapeutic change
(in contrast to other changes, such as growing up, growing out, and growing
old). Christian psychology cares about this question, as do dedicated Christian
counselors. Here is one brief, introductory answer.
Who Is Responsible for Our Therapeutic Change?
There is an important
distinction to be made between the notion that “God changes us,” and the idea
that “God contributes to our change.” In
the former case, as it is worded, responsibility for change falls squarely on
the shoulders of God, because responsibility follows control and it is assumed,
as it is worded, that God is completely in control of the person. Therefore, if
someone does not change, they can properly and finally attribute that lack of transformation to God alone. They would have changed if God willed it.
In the latter case,
effectual change is ultimately attributed to us, though we may rightly credit
God with divine contributions that enabled our success, and without which we
would have often—not necessarily always—failed (Isa. 26:12; Col. 1:29; 1 Pe.
4:11). So, acknowledging the crucial
role God plays in some of our changes (and all of our major spiritual
transformations), how might we describe His contribution to our efforts without
constantly resorting to supernaturalism as an explanation, in violation of the
law of parsimony (e.g. some questionable notions of divine grace that require
more complex accounting than does merciful assistance through natural means)?
It may be seen that God powerfully and conclusively contributes to many of our
changes or transformations in the following ways familiar to anyone who
conscientiously parents, coaches, or counsels.
Ten Recognizable Ways that God Can Contribute
to Our Therapeutic Change
1.
God can help
make us aware of the need for change.
Prompted confrontations by others, self-generated problems that seize
our attention, and stirring our consciences are three of several ways God may
accomplish this (Ps. 139:23-24).
2.
God may help
stimulate our desire to change. He
may do so in many ways, including
showing
us why change would be good and why not changing would be bad (Jn. 16:8).
3.
God can encourage
us to change. To encourage means to foster courage toward some attitude or
action. Through comfort, conviction, support, vision, empowerment, and positive
reinforcement, God can contribute to our
change efforts (Acts 28:15; Phil. 1:14; 2 Cor. 1:37).
4.
God can provide
us with the information we need to change.
It has often been said that
knowledge is power. When God arranges for
us to have access to the information necessary
for change, such knowledge can help
facilitate our transformation. Part of
providing us with
such insight may be removing whatever
mental, emotional, or physical blocks there are to
our understanding of such information
(Luke 24:16-32). One way God can accomplish this is
to influence a shift in our attention,
perspective, assumptions, or expectations—often by
supplying us with other information first
(Jn. 16:13).
5.
God can provide
us opportunity to learn the skills necessary for change. Who in our lives currently might be in a
position to teach and coach us in the development of life-changing skills? God
may superintend the trajectories of people’s lives so that their paths cross,
creating opportunities for assistance (Esther 4:14).
6. God can provide
us with the emotional support and cooperative companionship of others.
That is one major purpose of the Church
(Ezra 10:4; Hebr. 10: 24-25).
7.
God can empower
us by providing the resources we need to change. Do we need money, time, talent,
knowledge, encouragement, wisdom, opportunity, perspective, understanding,
divine direction, leadership, or support? Whatever we might need, including
supernatural power if necessary (Eph. 1:19-20), God can arrange for us to get
it, enabling us to experience transformation as we make effort in His strength
(Mark 13:11; Col. 1:29; 2 Thes. 1:11; Phil. 4:13; Jms. 1:5).
8.
God can help
us to be physically and emotionally healthy enough to change. Change is often more difficult when our
bodies and souls are inharmonious. By
giving us what we need to be healthy (all the above and more), God prepares us for
successful action. He may even
miraculously heal us, if necessary (Isa. 38:16; Matt. 9:4-6). Divine contributions toward health may
include laughter (Ps. 126:2), hope (Prov. 13:12), peace (Jn. 14:27), comfort
(2 Cor.
1:4), reason to trust (Jn. 14:1), joy (Ps. 126:2), kind words (Prov. 15:4a),
rest (Matt. 11:28-29), and physical provisions (Matt. 6:28-34).
9.
God can provide
us the freedom to change. By
offering forgiveness in Christ (1 Jn.1:9) and release from the bondage of sin
through the revelation of redemptive and sanctifying truth to us (Rom.6:18-22,
8:2; Jn. 8:32), God cognitively, emotionally, socially, practically, and
spiritually frees us to pursue change successfully. In other words, by
restoring our relationship with Himself, God provides us with all His “riches
in glory,” which we would not otherwise have (Eph. 1:18; Phil. 4:19).
10.
God can help
us focus enough to change. One way
He can do this is by providing us
meaning and purpose for transformation
(Phil. 2:13). Purpose tends to concentrate
attention because we have reason to act
toward a particular end result. Furthermore, meaning
invests activity with psychological
flavor and color, creating emotional and cognitive appeal,
which also promotes focus. In addition, God can help us to focus on
change by providing us
with the fellowship of people who
support and encourage our change efforts (Phil. 2:2).
With the assistance of God and others, we
can attend to our transformation goals with less
drift, discouragement, or distraction
(Hebr. 2:1).
Concluding Thoughts
We must always remember
that God can at any time use healthy and godly people to provide us with
life-changing comfort, advocacy, teaching, direction, exhortation,
admonishment, consolation, encouragement, advice, training, testimony,
reminders, material care, emotional support, affirmation, praise, correction,
nurture, physical care, forgiveness, forbearance, good news, example, and
prayer. The Body of Christ, dynamically
animated and directed by the Spirit of God, is God’s primary vehicle on earth
for helping people to therapeutically and spiritually change. Most of what God
does for us individually and collectively He intends to do through
us individually and collectively. Hence, all the “one another” passages of
Scripture.
While it is always within
God’s prerogative to supernaturally change us, there is only one (possible)
clear mention of such exceptional divine transformation in the Bible—King Saul
(1 Sam. 10:6-11). All others appear familiar in their psychological process.
Even the case with Saul seems limited both in duration and extent. God quickly allowed Saul to revert to his
former self, and Saul’s change “into another person” may have simply meant a
particular surge of new desire (v. 9) and specific behavior (v. 10). Verse 22
suggests an otherwise unchanged man. God’s movements often touch people’s
hearts (v. 26), but such influence seems transient without sustained human
effort to pursue and honor God. To make and maintain significant therapeutic
change, people must not only be committed to that end, but also invite, even
implore, God to compensate for what they cannot otherwise achieve without His
divine cooperation and assistance. Only then God can truly—and honestly—receive
glory.
Rick Sholette, M.Div., Th.M.
Paraclete Ministries
www.paracleteministries-rsholette.com
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