Humbled

I'm learning, unfortunately sometimes the hard way, how important prayer is for counseling. And I don't say this lightly. Before starting my practicum I would have said "Of course prayer is important. We want God to do the work." And that's still true. But it's amazing to see what that really means.

I have found that praying just before the session or praying on my way to the session or really even in the morning during my devotional time is not enough. It makes me think of the story in Mark 9 when the disciples tried to cast out a demon out of a little boy and could not. Jesus could, of course, and did. When asked why the disciples could not cast out the demon Jesus replied that that kind would only come out by prayer (and some translations say "and fasting"). No doubt the disciples said a quick prayer before trying to cast out the demon. But Jesus was explaining that it is a matter of lifestyle - a lifestyle of prayer and fasting and spiritual disciplines.

It's almost as if I've been saying to the Counselor, the One who created us and knows everything about us, "Hey, come along with me to the session and help me out if I get stuck. Otherwise, I got this one. We'll tag-team it."

It's amazing how much you can know with your head and not follow with your feet.

I have to say that I am grateful to be involved in a profession that requires dependence on the Lord in an obvious way. I think I need obvious. Otherwise I tend to get pretty comfortable with what I can do.

"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength...Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:20-25, 31 (emphasis mine)