Counseling: A Ministry Not A Job

My career as a Counselor started way back 1997 when my professor in the graduate school invited me to apply as a University Counselor in one of the biggest universities in Manila. At that time, I just wanted to study because I felt bored in the mundane world of being an office employee. I never thought that I would end up working as a Counselor for twenty years now.

Looking back, I never realized that I would do this job of listening to people’s problems from all walks of life. When I was a high school student, I remember having the patience and perseverance to listen to different stories of people whether sad, happy, funny, and even the most inane story you could ever imagine. As I grow older, I was still caught in situations wherein I have to listen to people. I remember working out in the gym and the instructor ended up telling me his personal stories. With friends, they would usually confide to me their experiences whether good or bad. With all these things that happened in my life, I have come to a realization that GOD has actually prepared me to do a job which I actually see as a ministry.

One of the many inspiring experiences I would never forget was when I volunteered as a Counseling Psychologist in a drug rehabilitation located in the far-flung area of Bulacan in the Philippines. I would remember all the moments I had counseled every single drug dependent in that rehab center. These people who are labeled as addict, evil, rapist, murderer and all other pejorative and degrading words you could think of are now being seen by the society as useless human beings. These kind of people especially now in my country is seen as a menace to society and that all of them deserved to be killed. How I wish that you would have a chance to know and genuinely listen to their stories for you to understand why they do things that they are not supposed to do. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

One day my student was crying in deep pain sharing that he was expelled from school due to academic failures. He tried his very best to study well but sadly he was not able to meet the academic standards of his course. Also, I recall the time when my student confessed that her father attempted to sexually molest her. It gave me an indescribable feeling because it was first time in my life to listen to such a story and counsel a young girl who was going through a terrible and despicable experience of her life.

At the end of each day, I would always go to GOD’s chapel to pray and ask for HIS help as I know that I could not do it alone by myself as HE is my only ONE and TRUE Counselor who could help all these broken hearted and helpless people. In Isaiah 9:6 it says, “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

Ultimately, I know that I am accountable to my Great Counselor above, whom I strongly believe has given me this ministry and the gift to touch people’s lives and to help them become a person that God wanted them to be through my counseling. It is my hope and prayer that by our personal experiences of GOD’s love and compassion, we may also be moved to counsel people around us who would be in need of help.

May GOD our COUNSELOR and KING be always our source of love, inspiration and wisdom in our humble desire to serve our fellowmen through our chosen ministry. Whatever you do, wherever you may be, there will always be people around you, who might be in need of your help.

May GOD bless your kind and loving heart!

I have CONTROL!

Gluttony (Latin: gula), derived from the Latin gluttire meaning to gulp down or swallow, means over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or wealth items. In Christianity, it is considered a sin if the excessive desire for food causes it to be withheld from the needy.

I believe that many of us have witnessed, know someone or perhaps you yourself is in this kind of situation whereby you don’t have control over consumption of food, drink or even acquisition of wealth items. Apparently, there is an issue of weak if not lack of control over these things. In psychology, the ego just wanted to feed the desire of the id that the super ego is weak and don’t have control over it. Needless to say, there are underlying reasons for someone to overly indulge himself to these kinds of material things.

The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders states that approximately eight million people in the U.S. have anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and related eating disorders. Eight million people represent about three percent (3%) of the total population.  On the other hand, according to WHO, worldwide alcohol causes 1.8 million deaths (3.2% of total) and 58.3 million (4% of total) of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). Unintentional injuries alone account for about one third of the 1.8 million deaths, while neuro-psychiatric conditions account for close to 40% of the 58.3 million DALYs. In this regard, the life of many people is in jeopardy as this phenomenon continues to rise.

The great Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology was once asked, “What do you think will solve the problem of people who are addicted to drugs and into other forms of addiction?” He replied, “The person has to recognize and be in communion with his Supreme Being for him to be able to control his addiction.”

In Proverbs 23:20-21 warns us, “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.” Likewise, in Proverbs 28:7 declares, “He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.”

I remember my personal struggle which I shared to my community where I have acquired a lot of shoes, clothes and watches. I am not proud sharing this but I know the reason why I have accumulated such a large amount of these material things. I also remember my counselee telling me that he hates his mother for being to obsess with branded stuff like Louis Vuitton, Prada and the like.

I know that many of us are exposed to all these material things which sometimes separate us from GOD. We cannot control our earthly desire to consume and collect as it gives us a good feeling and sense of pride as a human being. But with GOD, we all know that we can control everything if we truly put our mind, heart and soul into everything that we do. I remember the saying, “In everything you do put GOD first and HE will direct you and crown your efforts with success.”

Let it be our prayer and recite every day, “I have CONTROL because GOD is with me!”