Proverbs 4:7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. NLT
YOU NEED WISDOM
I am not a career marriage counselor but ministry has exposed me to marital issues that people face. Somehow, those issues come to my table.
I decided to learn more on the subject of marriage counseling when I discovered that some persons who came to me said they prayed and God told them to report their marital challenges to me.
Some say things like, "I'm looking for someone to talk to and I feel I should talk to you about my marriage". Often, I sense the pain in their hearts.
I have not been able to help anyone because the Spirit of God is the helper but I've often done what a Christian counselor should do which is to counsel biblically and pray for them.
It appears to me that people gravitate towards preachers for counsel. That's why I believe every minister of the Gospel must have basic training in counseling for them to handle common marital issues.
One can safely say that six out of ten counselees come for marriage related counseling either singles or married but we have more married folks in the mix.
In the last two and half decades, Satan has attacked marriages like never before. This include christian marriages. Unfortunately, preachers are not exempted.
A cursory look into most marital challenges people face, I concluded that many folks made mistakes they could have avoided.
Recently, I discussed with a man whose wife left him. He spoke bitterly about how he sacrificed his all for his wife when he had money. However, he admitted that he made a mistake.
He recounted how one of his brothers told him not to marry her but he was adamant. Today, he's regretting it seriously.
For the married, options are limited because in most cases, we'll always advise they reconcile and mend fences. Counseling married folks tends towards reconciliation and not to break their marriages
However, it is easier to tell singles bitter truths about a messy relationship and help them in their decision-making process. I can't count the number of singles I've told to walk out of a relationship that's not working but that's heavy for me to say to the married.
As a single, you can make the right choice of a life partner. There's no magic about it. That's what my teaching is all about.
There's a need for singles to learn and acquire wisdom to avoid mistakes that people make.
I have seen very spiritual people with bad marriages. It is not because they can't pray but they lacked wisdom. If only you know how people pray before they marry, you'll agree with me that prayerlessness is not the issue.
Prayer mountains are filled with men who want their wives dead especially ministers with troubled marriages. This I've seen on several occasions that I've been to the mountain.