"And this we will do if God permits." (Hebrews 6:3 ESV)
Counselors like helping people. Whether it’s to avoid our own issues or more altruistically motivated, we generally enjoy helping people take steps toward positive change. We got into this business because we know how hard this life can be, and we know everyone needs support in navigating the twists and turns of this world effectively.
In Hebrews 5 and 6, the author is casting vision for maturity in Christ and perplexity about his audience's slow progress. Even as he gently chastises them for their lack of growth, he stops in verse 3 of chapter 6 to remind himself and his readers that this change will only occur if God permits. It’s a beautiful and odd tension to hold. The encouragement towards good change and the realization of both the author and his audience of their inability to partake in this change apart from God’s activity in making it happen.
I hope this truth leads us to prayer and patience in our care of others. God is at work, yet His method of growing us and others in faith and Christlikeness tends to take the scenic route. I hope this helps loosen the grip frustration can take in our heart for those who are making little progress. We are called to faithfully present the counsel of God through His word to each person we meet with. But, for anything good to happen in a session or in life, God must enable it.
Considering this, we have no right to claim credit or glory for ourselves in the change of those in our care. We get to be faithful, but God gets the glory for every good thing that comes their way because without Him nothing good would ever come. We get the joy of seeing God do what only He can do. And knowing that in the blink of an eye He can spark life in what was dead, we counsel always full of hope, asking that God would permit us to see Him do it again and again.
