Tag: Counseling

The Risk of Grace

On January 18, 2022

To Love is to Expose Yourself to Pain.

(Banner photo credit: Dark Winter Days by Inge Bovens)

“Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”
Romans 2:4

Why is it that if God’s kindness, patience and forbearance leads us to repentance from our sin to embrace Christ, we don’t assume the same posture and manner when dealing with others with whom we see falling? Whether it’s our own children, a friend who is wandering, or a relative who pains you with their bad choices leading to a ruined life, or for me as an elder, a congregant/parishioner who is straying from the gospel or at least a life centered upon Christ? Why would we think that anything other than grace and kindness and love and a posture of humility will do when dealing with others in these states of wandering from the truth?

Prayers for Anxiety

By David Westerfield

On December 4, 2019

In Spiritual Formation

After having undiagnosed depression and some level of anxiety for years (I knew I had at least a mild depression, but didn’t know the depth until later in life), and having that culminate this past February to the point of seeking counseling (and being formally diagnosed with depression and anxiety), I’ve been on the look out for prayers related to all of this in particular and came across these. I hope and pray they are beneficial to those struggling in this area.

As an aside, if you’re struggling in this area, get counseling. It was a game changer. Don’t go it alone like I did for years just “managing”.