The Challenge of Seeking Help, Part II
There are many challenges to seeking help from a professional counselor. Apart from what I’ve previously discussed, another common barrier is fearing what others will think.
Let's admit it. Sometimes we clearly realize that reaching out for help is in our best interest, yet we keep ourselves from doing so by bombarding our minds with questions. 
What will others think?
Will they view me as being spiritually weak?
Am I just lacking faith?
Will people look down on me?
To reemphasize, seeking assistance when we need is a sign of strength, not weakness, even for those within the faith community. It is a misconception to think that our problems become overwhelming simply due to a lack of faith or that the agony experienced when facing challenges and trials is the result of spiritual weakness.
Part of the challenge I believe, especially for many within the faith community, is the notion that we should have it all together and not be moved or troubled by circumstances in life. A look at just the Psalms would reveal otherwise as they shed light to the psalmist’s many experiences with loneliness, fear, agony, grief, desperation, anger, and despair. Because we live in a broken world, suffering is a natural part of the human experience.
However, a fundamental part of life as well is our interdependency. We depend on one another to meet our various needs just as we may depend on God. From a faith perspective, our relationship with God does not negate our need for relationships with others and our need to seek the counsel of others when in need.
The Bible clearly articulates that we are to live in relationship with God and others. While God is the ultimate source of knowledge and power for the Christian, God also works through those in our midst to help meet our needs. Even Christ didn’t attempt to accomplish his three-year mission on earth by going solo. He surrounded himself with others. Even on the eve of his crucifixion at Calvary, he turned to his closest disciples—Peter, James and John—for support as he prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane.Think about it. Just as it would be wise to turn to a mechanic if the engine-check light in your vehicle was on, turning to a professional counselor or a professional Christian counselor could be beneficial when experiencing emotional, relational, vocational or other challenges—especially when the issues are beyond the scope of others in your support network.
So don’t allow those questions and thoughts to bombard your mind. Seek the help you need today, and trust that God will work through those in your midst to meet your need. If this includes seeking the services of a professional counselor, embrace the opportunity.
Because life matters, you’ll be glad you did!
