Counseling Can Be Scary

When Ken Steele was 14 years old he began hearing voices telling him to kill himself. For the next three decades he was in and out of mental institutions, taking a myriad of medications, living a plethora of nightmares with homosexuals, drug addicts, political wolves, and medical practitioners who were more interested in protecting their careers than in helping those entrusted to their care.

Now, 50 years old, Ken is sitting in the outer office asking you help him deal with the voices. Like the woman in Luke 8 with the 12 year hemorrhage who finally came to Jesus for help, Ken has tried everything he can think of and now he’s finally coming to you as a representative of Jesus. Not only that but he’s come with six of his buddies; all suffering from tragic life problems. They are also patiently waiting in the outer office hoping to hear an encouraging word and to feel a healing hand from you; the only one they know who claims to know God personally.

As you read this, what flashes through your mind? Right about now most pastors would be thinking about ducking out the back door. But being the man of God you are, you invite Ken in and ask him how you can help. As Ken begins to share his story, panic wells up in your heart and you begin to pray like Nehemiah, when the King asked for his request (Neh. 2:4-5), that God will give you something to ease Ken’s suffering. But when Ken mentions that he’s been to hospitals and doctors for over 30 years and they have all diagnosed him with schizophrenia you get the sense that you simply aren’t qualified or well trained enough to actually be of any real help to Ken.