Energy and Influence to Facilitate Change

On my other blog, Brave Heart, I posted some thoughts about whether Mr. Obama is a Muslim or a Christian. I take his profession of faith at face value and think it is important for other Christians to do the same thing. Why do I think that?

First, it is the biblical, Christian thing to do. Look at Ephesians 4.

1 As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other.

Humble: One of my life's songs is: "Oh Lord it's hard to be humble when you are perfect in every way." I so strongly disagree with some people that I find it extremely difficult to be humble because they seem so ripe to be attacked and made to change.

When I am not humble it seems as though I am the Spirit's prophet to change them. That is called, "Hubris or Pride" and is the opposite of humility. And, when I am not humble I am not patient. Patience in this verse comes from the Greek term makrothumia and means "Holding back my feelings of anger and revenge." This depends on humility because impatience reacts too quickly and refuses to listen, learn, examine the logs in my eyes and give God sometime to work in the heart of the person with whom I disagree.

3 Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. 4 All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God's people. 5 We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.

Unity comes from peace. This passage says that it is necessary for me to have peace in our hearts if we are to sow unity rather than division. Here is a suggestion: Rewrite this passage and place your name before try. "Gary, try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. We all are part of the same body".

6 There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us.

So, if we want to live according to the Bible and take the healing love and power of God to the people around us, we need to be "Aglow in the Spirit". We need the energy and peace of the Holy Spirit to be a positive influence in the world. Negative energy promotes negative influence and that cannot be of God. So, brother and sister, what do you need to do to become a more positive influence?

Can you say this about our President? It may stick in your throat but ask God to give you the peace and humility to do so. "Lord, I accept the fact that you are in Mr. Obama and you are using him to do your will. You are in charge of the USA and the Presidency and I am not. Thank you for your love, and grace for the President."

Updates on the Blog

Thanks to a friend in Singapore I have updated some of the settings for this blog. Now you can leave comments and insights to it. I would appreciate hearing from you on this very important topic of healing and growth. I know there are a lot of people who want to bring positive ideas and actions into a hurting world and want to add their insights and experiences to the mix so write us about what you have found to be good for you and good for others.

As you peruse this blog you will see it is a mix of my thoughts from a background of professional counseling and psychology as well as my personal ideas and my experiences as a Christian. I have spent the past 40 years as a committed Christian and an educator and counselor.

When I was getting ready to leave teaching elementary school and pursue a masters degree in counseling college students I was warned by some well meaning friends to avoid psychology at all costs lest it destroy my Christian faith. I can safely say that reading the research and outcomes from psychology actually strengthened my faith in God and the Bible. Some of my professors challenged my beliefs as did some of the conclusions authors and psychologists drew from their work. However, the research itself elevated the power and insights of the Bible and I became more committed to finding out how to integrate it with helping people grow in grace.

For example, my last post was about the research of one of my mentors and friends, Dr. Richard Walters. He found that the passage of scripture found in Proverbs was literally true. I understand that much of scripture is metaphorically true; the hills do not actually clap their hands, but Rich found that when the inspired writer of Proverbs 18:21 said,

Death or life are in the power of the tongue

he was factually and metaphorically right.

Karen, my wife of 48 plus years, is a very wise person. She has often said, "Gary has job security. The world, the flesh and the devil are messing people up faster than he can put them back together." Wars, rumors of wars, dysfunctional families and destructive diseases all conspire to bring shock, trauma and abuse to people and they leave their trail of tears all over the earth. This is why I have spent most of my adult life training Peer and Professional Helpers in several nations how to be more effective in health prevention, promotion and healing.

So, feel free to leave me a message or two that will edify all of us. Blog and media comments are full of hatred, anger, bitterness and attacks that demean and destroy and I will not allow those to show up. However, I would love to hear your insights, additions, corrections and challenges offered in faith, hope and love.

Gary Sweeten

Asking Good Spiritual Questions

A Seeker's beliefs are critical to his/her ability to receive our care and counsel. Every person to whom we offer assistance needs to be respectfully asked about his/her faith, support system, and extra medical interventions. Most of the people who come to us know our commitment to God’s love and truth.

Research indicates that there are four factors leading to a successful outcome in therapy.

• A therapeutic intervention like medicine, advice, or insight. (15% of the outcome)
• Hope and trust in the therapist and her techniques. (15% of the outcome)
• The caring relationship between the therapist and client. (30% of the outcome)
• The client’s motivational level and his support system. (40% of the outcome)

Only 15% of successful outcomes are the result of counseling or medical techniques. A Seeker's trust in us is as important as the therapist’s intervention.

Secondly, the relationship of Genuineness, Respect, Empathy and Warmth between Helper and Seeker is twice as important as the intervention.

Third, the Seeker’s motivational level and support system, including her church, is almost three times as important as the therapist’s techniques.

By carefully analyzing the Seeker’s beliefs about faith we can more successfully enhance all four factors.

1. We know how to pray and suggest spiritual activities.

2. We build the Helper’s trust in us and our interventions and promote the placebo effect.

3. We show respect, warmth, empathy and genuine concern by asking good questions.

4. We tap into the client’s level of motivation and religious support system.

Use the acrostic FAITH to guide the interview.

F: Faith: Do you have faith in God, a higher power or something that encourages you to believe? How would you describe it? How often do you practice your faith?

A: Asking for an intervention. Have you or would you Ask for healing, health or assistance in your struggle with this illness? How do you do that?

I: Interacting with a community of faith? Do you attend services, a small group or a mentor? How often? Do you find it helpful? What is not helpful?

T: Trust in God’s love? Do you relate this problem with punishment or guilt? Are you trusting in God to be with you during this time or anxious about His presence?

H: How do you want us to relate to your faith and spiritual practices? Prayers? Materials? Advice?