Wonderful Counselor

Isaiah 9:6-7 is part of an Old Testament promise of a Messiah: a Rescuer

and King for the whole world! This passage lists tons of names that are

ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. One of those names is Wonderful Counselor.

We may not always think a lot about this name, but it has special

importance for me because I meet with a counselor for my mental health. My

counselor helps me process my thoughts and emotions and learn how to manage

feelings of depression, anxiety, stress, and whatever challenges I am

facing.

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Counselors are experts at understanding: they study how the brain works and

are trained to listen and understand and help people move forward through

struggles. Good counselors are compassionate, wise, and full of advice and

guidance.

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Jesus uses my counselor to help me, and He is available too! Jesus is the

perfect counselor. His eternal wisdom is beyond our understanding, and He

invites us to come to Him with all our struggles. He is fully God, so He

knows and understands us better than anyone else because He created us!

Jesus is also fully human, so He knows what it’s like to live in a world

broken by sin. However, although Jesus was tempted and suffered, He was

obedient and faithful to God through it all. Hebrews 4:14-16 says that

Jesus empathizes with our weaknesses, and He invites us to come to Him for

help any time.

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Sometimes I feel alone in my struggles, but meeting with a counselor

reminds me that I’m not alone and that people care for me. Most of all,

Jesus reminds me that I am never alone. No matter the challenges we face,

He loves us and will never leave us (Matthew 28:20). He died and rose again

on our behalf, and even when nothing seems to make sense, we can rest in

the truth that He has become wisdom for us (1 Corinthians 1:30), fully

redeeming us and uniting us to Himself.

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Mental health is a long journey with ups and downs. But I know that God

uses our struggles to open up unique opportunities to help and encourage

others (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). He can use even the hardest times in our

lives for His good purposes (Romans 8:28). Abby Ciona

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How is Jesus like a mental health counselor? How is He different?

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We all go through seasons of life when we feel overwhelmed, and it’s okay

to need help. When you are experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, or

other challenges, who is a trusted Christian in your life who you feel

comfortable talking to? If you need someone to talk to, you can set up an

appointment for a one-time complimentary phone consultation with a

Christian counselor through the Focus on the Family Counseling Service. In

the United States, call 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 8:00

p.m. (Mountain Time) to set up an appointment. In Canada, book your

appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

(Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate.

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In addition to getting help from friends and mental health professionals,

God wants us to come to Him for help. When you are feeling stressed or

overwhelmed, do you feel like you can talk to Jesus? Why or why not?

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God created the world good, but when humans went their own way against

God, the result was death and decay and sicknessincluding mental illness.

But God has not left us alone in our struggles. He has compassion on us,

and He came to live among us and, ultimately, to heal the world of all

brokenness. Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, we have

the sure hope that Jesus will return to restore His creationand, as His

forgiven followers, we will get to live with Him forever, free from sin,

death, and every kind of illness! As we wait for that glorious day, Jesus

is with us. He identifies with us in our struggles, feels our sorrows as

His own, and weeps alongside us. How might knowing that Jesus is your

companion on the long journey of life, through all the ups and downs, give

you comfort and strength? (Isaiah 41:10)

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For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be

on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor Isaiah 9:6a

(NIV)

Read Verses:

Psalm 139:1-Psalm 139:6; Isaiah 9:6-Isaiah 9:7; Hebrews 4:14-Hebrews 4:16