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Christian Counselor Characteristics
Christian counselors are to demonstrate spiritual maturity and emotional health. It is
impossible to “pour from an empty cup”. It is imperative that a Christian counselor has a strong
foundation based on pure scripture. This is where their faith should lie in order to be competent
and effective. The Bible is truth. The foundation of Truth comes from the Holy Bible (Clinton,
2009). There are core conditions and skills one must possess that will reflect spiritual maturity
and emotional health. Spiritual maturity comes about by the washing or renewing of our minds
(Clinton, 2009). The Bible teaches us to not be like the world and transforming our mind and
hearts to be more like Christ will enable us to follow this order. The scripture states, “Do not be
conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may
determine what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (English Standard
Version, 2001, Romans 12:2). Discernment is very important for a Christian counselor to possess
as it will lead him/her to separate what is right from wrong when ministering to clients. Core
skills that will make a Christian counselor effective would be to not only be a counselor but to
also be a consultant, a teacher, a supervisor, and a researcher. These roles help the clients make
important life decisions, allow strategies for coping, and allows revisions to be made in
treatments ensuring that clients receive the proper care (Clinton, 2009).
Maturity in Christ as my Strength
One thing I constantly learn and have learned in life is that God is a restorer. Several
situations in my life that occurred showed me that He will always make things brand new and fix
what was broken so that our faith in Him remains and grows. Our faith in Him is what creates a
true, strong relationship with Him. Our relationship with Him is only strengthened through
obstacles that were overcome in life while trusting His word. With this type of spiritual growth,
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one is able to be a witness of His wonderous works and therefore effectively counsel and lead
others to Him while helping them heal and grow. My strength was surely restored when I lost my
child back in March of the year 2020. I have always been very knowledgeable of the Bible and
able to recite several scriptures and knew how to pray because of how I was raised and the
church I always attended. I always knew what to say when people were in need of counseling or
a listening ear. However, when I lost my full-term, 40-week baby due to stillbirth, I was numb
and speechless. I lost my joy, while hatred and evil thoughts began to grow inside of me. I was
headed down a dark path mentally, but I never lost my faith in God. During one of my off days, I
remembered scripture often said to me. It stated, “Do not be anxious, but in every situation with
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, submit your requests to God, and the peace of God which
surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ” (English Standard
Version, 2001, Philippians 4:6-7). This assured me that I didn’t need the answers I was looking
for. I needed to trust God, not worry, and pray for peace. This time in my life along with this
scripture and a few others restored my relationship with Jesus Christ and I have seen my growth
since then. I am now able to use my new maturity in Christ to counsel others professionally
someday all while glorifying His name.
