This past week I was meeting with a couple, who needed some help with marriage counseling. Someone who will meet with them to encourage, listen, and just be there for them. I called the pastor and I left a voice message. I then called another pastor from the same church. He was going off on a mission trip, so I followed up again the following week. There was no one to meet with this couple for the past two weeks.
It was frustrating to know that someone needed help but could not get it. Our church needs mentors, disciples, and first responders. What can we do to help? What can we do to be more ready to meet the needs of those we want to help?
Scripture says:
“Be ready in season and out of season.”
Be ready to give an account.
“Are we ready? Are we willing to walk with someone, through their hurt, blindness, fear, and doubt? How much easier to bring someone to the Lord than to follow them up, and deal with the messes in life.”
Are we serious about ministry or do we just want to meet on Sunday and go home to our football or basketball or hockey (these days) and our Sunday dinner?
3 Marriage Counseling Tips
- Be ready to answer the call. How do you do this? Know how to apply the scriptures to a person’s life. Ask the hard questions. To do this you have to ask the hard questions of yourself first. (such as How is your relationship with your wife and family? How is your relationship with God? How is your relationship with work? Are you taking care of yourself mentally, physically, spiritually? How is your thought life? Are you meeting with someone regularly to talk about life? Let God speak to you through His word.
- Take the time to LISTEN to someone. Don’t just slap a bible verse on them. “Really” listen, and feedback to them what you heard them say in your own words. The meaning of the message, not just parroting back exactly what they said. But giving them the meaning of what they said in your own words.
- Be willing to help and take action. Learn that you may not have all the answers.
You can refer someone to someone you know if you cannot help. In the case above I asked another person I was working with if they would meet with this person who needed help right away with marriage counseling. He did, and something will be done. Pray for the person and ask God to give you wisdom as to what is needed and how to help. You may only listen and take no action. That’s ok, that is helping.