CCOU 201

CCOU 405:
Pain & Suffering: Helping People in a Hurting World

Dr. Freda Crews

Course Description: How do you counsel when bad things happen to good people? How do you explain pain and suffering to someone who is so engulfed in it? It is inevitable that we will face trials and tribulations in this life (James 1:2). This lesson helps you help people heal from these times of distress and give timely answers to one of lifes most perplexing issues. Course Objectives: At the completion of this lesson, you should be able to 1. Improve your understanding of pain and suffering in the lives of Gods people. 2. Make sense of the paradox of human suffering. 3. Construct a theology of suffering for Christian counselors. 4. Gain an understanding of paradoxical intention, paradoxical intervention and counselor involvement in helping people in their pain and suffering. Introduction: The existence of a good, loving and omnipotent (all-powerful) God and the reality of human suffering create a paradox. This apparent contradiction in the behavior of God can lead some suffering clients to ask their counselors why? as they struggle to find purpose and meaning in their lives.

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CCOU 201 CCOU 405: Pain & Suffering: Helping People in a Hurting World Dr. Freda Crews Key Definitions: Paradoxical Intention: Viktor E. Frankl is credited with identifying this behavioral technique theorized within an existing framework. When employing Paradoxical Intention clients are encouraged to accept the reality of their symptoms or situations and challenge them by embracing and befriending them. Paradoxical Interventions: Although, not generally explicitly labeled paradoxical, every major school of therapy has employed these. Paradoxical interventions appear initially to be in opposition to the acknowledged goals for therapy. They also can be thought of as doing the opposite of what makes common sense. Paradoxical strategies require a Cognitive-Restructuring Behavioral counseling approach. Counselor Involvement: The counselor designs specific strategies to help a client resolve or overcome a problem within a framework that actually encourages the problem. Some of these strategies can be referred to al: reverse psychology; joining the resistance; welcoming; embracing, accepting, moving with, cooperating with, and reframing. The counselor can be seen as playing the devils advocate. Overview: 1. Accept that pain and suffering is inevitable. 2. Allow God to use pain and suffering in our lives for His purpose. 1. Await Gods comfort and strength.

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CCOU 201 I. Practical Theology of Suffering A. A Paradox: A statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true and An argument that apparently derives selfcontradictory conclusions by valid deduction from acceptable premises. (Webster). A Paradox can be a (or an apparent) contradiction within ones character. (Crews) 1. Suffering does not appear to be consistent with Gods nature. Appears to contradict what we know about God. 2. We have to know pain to know God and goodness.

B. A Reality of Life: 1. Universal experience for all persons: Christians and Non-Christians 2. Inevitable (James 1:2)

C. A Purpose and Meaning: 1. God redeems Himself a. Romans 8:28-29

b. Romans 5:3-4

2. Three primary reasons why Christians suffer: a. To strengthen your faith, endurance, perseverance, and authenticity

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CCOU 201

b. To build your character and conform you to the image of His Son

c. To give you hope, purpose and meaning (Jeremiah 29:11)

D. Four Kinds of Suffering: 1. Deserved

2. Undeserved (Innocent)

3. Avoidable

4. Unavoidable

E. Causes of Suffering: 1. Our fallenness

2. God allows or uses it

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CCOU 201 1. Satan and forces of evil

II.

Implications For Counseling A. Educate Clients Regarding Suffering (Cognitive Restructuring) 1. Dont be threatened by their questions, especially when they ask why? Turn why? into what is God trying to teach me?

2. Help them understand the different kinds of suffering.

B. Employ Paradoxical Strategies Regarding Suffering. 1. Encourage clients to accept (unavoidable) suffering

2. Encourage clients to allow suffering to do its work in their lives. a. By joining the resistance b. By cooperating with it c. By embracing it 1). By receiving it as from God. 2). By believing what God says 3). By allowing God to use it (Biblical submission) (II Cor. 12:7-10)

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CCOU 201 3. Encourage clients to await God to come through. a. Keep His promises

b. Reveal Himself

III.

Conclusion A. Accept the fact that all persons suffer, and sometimes innocently, but God assures Christians it is for His all-wise purposes and for their good.

B. Allow (unavoidable) suffering to do its work in your lives by embracing it as having purpose and meaning designed by God.

C. Await the coming of God to your soul with an expanded knowledge of Himself and/or in restored fellowship.

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CCOU 201

CCOU 405 Study Questions: 1. What does James 1 have to say about those who suffer?

2. List the four kinds of suffering.

3. What are the three primary reasons Christians suffer?

4. What are the causes of suffering? What is the difference between unavoidable and avoidable suffering?

5. How do you help people understand suffering? Instead of asking why, what should you encourage clients to ask? What three As does Dr. Crews use to deal with suffering?

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CCOU 201

Soul Care Notes: Jeremiah 29:11 II Corinthians 12:7-10 Romans 5:3-4 Romans 8:28-29 James 1:2 Bibliography/Reading List: MacDonald, Gordon. Rebuilding Your Broken World. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988. Lloyd-Jones, Martyn. Why does God Allow Suffering. Publishing, 1994. Wheaton, IL: Good News

Maes, John L. Suffering: A Caregivers Guide. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1990.

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