Therapy Alternatives – part 1

A goal to be “happy?”

Myth 1 – Christians are Supposed to be Happy

Many of us operate under the illusion that we are supposed to be “happy” and “fulfilled.” This includes our belief that we must attain a wonderful family life free from strife. We must have a fulfilling job, good pay, benefits, paid vacations, and we must be blessed with a life free from illness.

Oh, really? Who told you that? Where does it say we are entitled to be “happy?” Does it say that in your Bible? Mine says I can have “joy and peace” (Gal. 5:22). It doesn’t promise me worldly “happiness,” however.

This reminds us of the spoiled teenager who demands her own car, T.V., cell phone, and computer when she is sixteen. Who told her she is entitled to that?

As a parent, your goal is to help her to be “holy,” not “happy.” Her definition of happiness may lead to a reckless, irresponsible life. Helping her to become “holy” brings her to the goal of conforming to the likeness of God’s Son (Ro. 8:29), or God’s ideal plan for her.

(Chip Ingram, “Effective Parenting in a Defective World,” Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, www.walkthru.org).



Trials & Suffering

In the same way, God’s goal for all of His children is to conform us into the image of His Son (Ro. 8:29). Indeed, my Bible tells me that I will suffer. Furthermore, it tells me that I should consider suffering a special kind of joy.

A. “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (James 1:2 NASB).

B. “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7 NASB).



Replace lies with truth. Memorize these verses.

Hatred, Humiliation, & Persecution

Jesus never said we would be happy or successful in a worldly way. Rather, He said that we would be rejected or even killed by unsaved friends or family members or evil people. He said we would be hated, insulted, persecuted, gossiped about, falsely accused, abused, or worse. Here are a few of those Scriptures:


Rhema Verses (verses which apply to you personally):

C. “Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11).

D. “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:14).

E. “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household “ (Matthew 10:34-36 NASB).




First Assignment – part 1

Your first assignment is to memorize the five verses A-E we have given to you. Write them on blank business cards, and review them daily until you have them memorized. Keep them nearby and review often.

When you wake-up in the middle of the night, repeat these verses. When you are in the shower, say these verses to yourself. Repeat them aloud in your car.

This includes the first two verses about suffering, and the three verses about persecution. These first five verses are your gateway to reality. Replace human assumptions with God’s Word. Let reality replace unrealistic expectations. Replace lies with truth.

Repenting from our Delusions

We all need to repent from our delusions of prosperity, perfect health, beauty, and the carnal “positive-thinking” and “possibility thinking” of current Laodicean churches and their smooth-talking pastors (Rev. 3:17-19). Instead, we are to take up our crosses and follow Jesus (Matthew 10:38).



Important to Remember:

1. Character Qualities to Develop

We must learn that trials produce endurance, trials develop faith, and that interpersonal relationships will suffer if we follow Christ. Our goal is not to be “happy.” Rather, our goal is to become “holy” and conformed to Christ. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29 ESV). That is truth.

2. Training for Reigning

Why are we being conformed into the image of God’s Son? Because we are training for reigning with the King of Kings! “If we endure, we will also reign with Him;” (2 Tim. 2:12). We have been given an awesome task and responsibility. We are in the School of Suffering and will learn all those Christ like qualities needed to be companion rulers with our Lord. (See Rev. 5:10; 20:6; 1 Cor. 6:2; Luke 19:17, 19-26).

____________________________



In Part 2 we will discuss why resurrecting your past in therapy contradicts Scripture. …“one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14 ESV).

_____________________________
_____________________________

References:

Adams, Jay. 1986. The Biblical view of self-esteem, self-love, self-image. Eugene, OR: Harvest.

Almy, Gary. 1994. Addicted to recovery. Eugene, OR: Harvest House.

Benware, Paul. 2002. The believer’s payday. Chattanooga, TN: AMG.

Ganz, Richard. 1993. PsychoBabble: The failure of modern psychology and the Biblical alternative. Wheaton, ILL: Crossway Books.

Lutzer, Erwin W. 1998. Your eternal reward. Chicago: Moody.

Owen, Jim. 1993. Christian psychology’s war on God’s Word. Santa Barbara, CA: EastGate Publishers.

Tyler, David and Kurt Grady. 2006. Deceptive diagnosis: When sin is called sickness. Bemidji, MN: Focus Publishing.