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“The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” – Proverbs 20:5
Every week, I meet with people who deal with emotional or psychological pain of the past. The stories are all quite different, but some of the situations they currently find themselves are the same. Depression and anxiety have a way of keeping them stuck in these dead-end situations and no amount of prayer or Scripture seems to bring the healing they seek.
But, when I recommend to people that they might find some answers spending time with a professional counsellor, many of these folks quickly resist. Perhaps they tried counselling in the past and it did nothing. Some have told me that the counsellor they saw did more harm than good. Fear of counsellors as a principle is more common than you might suspect.
And for all our talk as Christians about how God heals the sick, it might seem strange for me to even recommend that people see a counsellor. Don’t I have enough faith to pray for their delivery?
I have taught before on the four types of healing that God provides us with. And medical healing, which includes the world of psychotherapy, have done a lot of millions of people over the years. God’s healing hand is not just limited to the miraculous; people find healing in many places.
But can Scripture offer us something to suggest that pursuing solid counselling is actually godly? Here’s what I dug up:
• Proverbs 20:5 — “The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” A skilled counsellor often helps a person name grief, fear, trauma, or destructive patterns that are real but difficult to articulate alone.
• Proverbs 15:22 — “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” This can gently challenge the belief that needing outside help is spiritual failure; Scripture treats receiving counsel as a mark of wisdom.
• Proverbs 11:14 — “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” The principle is not that every counselor is trustworthy, but that isolation is dangerous and multiple wise voices can provide protection.
• Galatians 6:2 — “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Some burdens require more sustained and trained support than a friend or pastor can responsibly give; seeking it may be a way of letting the body of Christ bear the burden faithfully.
• Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 — “Two are better than one… For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.” The passage honors the ordinary human need for help rather than celebrating self-sufficiency.
• James 5:16 — “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” This is not a proof-text for disclosing everything to everyone, but it does present honest, prayerful disclosure in trusted relationships as connected with healing.
When you look at each individual verse, you don’t come close to saying that the Bible says we should go to professional counsellors when we struggle with emotional pain. But, when you look at these six verses as a whole, you come away at least with the idea that talking often with the right people about the things that cause you to suffer emotionally is not just a good idea; it’s godly behaviour.
If you have never sought professional counselling before, and you deal with some serious emotional weight or wounds of the past, let me invite you to do so. Please understand; just like doctors, not all counsellors are a right fit for you. Some have terrible bedside manners. Others simply will not mesh well with you. But don’t give up. Emotional and psychological wellness is well worth the search.
If you have sought help before and found the experience to be unpleasant or unhelpful, do not let that experience cause you to withdraw or to stop talking about your problems. I cannot begin to imagine how difficult it must be for you. My emotional unwellness over the years pales in comparison to what some of you deal with. But, God has provided healing hope in more than one location. Call that person with letters after their name today.