情感牧场

A few months ago, I attended a meeting of the Australian Chinese Psychological Association and a member gave a presentation on the relevance of Christianity in psychotherapy. Some bible verses from the Old Testament and New Testament are cited below to describe some quality or characteristics of God (the God that Christians believe and worship) which are frequently sought by people receiving counselling or psychotherapy.

1. TLC (Tender Loving Care 爱护和怜惜 ). A loving, caring God faithfully cares for his children as a shepherd cares for his sheep.  The assurance of someone there to offer ‘unconditional’ love is very powerful in helping that person to regain his/her footage.

Psalm 詩篇 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths, bringing honour to his name.

John 約翰福音  10: 27

My sheep recognise my voice, I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they well never perish. No one will snatch them away from me.

Isaiah 以賽亞書 40: 11

He tends his flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in his arms and he carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

2. Comfort 安慰. God is the source of comfort. Imagine a frightened chick to come to its parent for comfort. Christians regard themselves as ‘the Children of God’.

2 Corinthian 林後 1:3-4

Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

3. Hope 希望. God is the source of hope. Trusting in the God of hope will bring you yet more joy, peace, and hope. This is especially true for people experiencing a depressed state where hopelessness and feel that everything is not under control.

Psalm 詩篇 42

Put your hope in God.

Roman 羅馬書 15: 13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 At the meeting, someone raised the question regarding the difference between Christian counselling and other professional counselling. The former is usually ‘free’ and involves a spiritual element (a so-called ‘superpower’). In the New Testament, Jesus told his followers about a new commandment (in addition to what were already said in the Old Testament) to invite them to show their love for each other and reach out to people around them as a proof to the world that they were His followers.

 John 約翰福音 13:34

So now I am giving you a new commandment: ‘Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.’