problem modelWhy is Life so unfair sometimes? Why do I have to suffer the consequences of someone else’s behavior? Ever heard those questions before? Ever asked them?

I know I have. And I have heard those questions asked numerous times in counseling sessions with other people.

None of us like it when somebody else messes up and it affects us. It leaves us with the responsibility of figuring out how to correct the problem. One of the biggest areas that I help people work through in counseling has to do with their fathers. Many fathers are absent, neglectful and hurtful towards their children. Some fathers don’t even realize what they are doing, or the effect it might have on their children.

When these children become adults, the fallout of their father’s interactions with them can cause major problems. When they show up in my counseling office they are suffering from the results of someone else’s behavior. Together we have to figure out how to correct the emotional damage done to them. The good news is that there are solutions. The bad news is that the solutions involve going through a process that takes time and hard work. Yet there is hope and healing during the process.

 

In the Pocket Principle (Fallenness of Man) , I noticed many similarities between the counseling process and the solution God has provided for man’s fallen condition. They both involve a change of heart and a process of restoration. Read on to discover the good solution that God has given us for the consequences of Adam and Eve’s bad behavior.

Get this Pocket Principle in Understanding People, part of Cornerstone  from the WDA Store

For more information visit the WDA Store.

who am I?The deepest question we can ask ourselves is who am I?  From the moment we begin to live on this planet, we try to find our place in our world.  Maybe you are the only son of a single mom. Maybe you were one of 4 children lost somewhere in the middle of trips to soccer practice. I remember how frustrated my mom would get at use kids and started to call for me and instead started with my sister and running down the list of family members including the dog…Lisa, Dede, uhhh, Dean, Midnight…. dang it.. Buddy come here right now!

What if God had trouble remembering us in the line up of the universe.  “Adam, Abraham, Jacob, David, Joseph, Mary, Sue , John …. ah yes, Buddy, what can I do for you?”  No, our heavenly Father has known our name from eternity past and not only that has created us in His image!

So how does being created in the image of God change the way I view myself today? Does it matter that I am not just here by chance? A bundle or randomness?  Does it matter that I am not merely a product of my DNA and Genetics and every human has value?

This weeks pocket principle continues to look at what it means to be made in the image of God.  It also reminds us that we are not all that God has created us to be! We have fallen from our place of perfection to a place of brokenness. Understanding People begins with Understanding Myself. We are created in the image of God. Who we are effects how we treat others as well. This pocket principle helps us consider how others view humanity vs how Christianity describes us.

How does knowing that you are created in the image of God change how you view yourself and others?

Take time to read this week’s pocket principle  – Created in the Image of God – 2

If you need to read part 1 to catch up you can find it here.

Pocket Principles® are currently offered along with Guided Discussions. The content of the Pocket Principles® will reinforce truth learned in the group discussion. Each workbook is formatted for use in a small group, where pocket principles may read prior to each discussion.  Also, if a group member misses a meeting, he can read the corresponding Pocket PrincipleTM to review the information missed.

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confusedHave you ever felt confused and frustrated by the behavior of another person? Or been confused by your own behavior? “Why did I say that?” “Why did I do that?” Understanding people—both ourselves and others—is important to our own personal growth and to our ability to impact the lives of others.

This series of Pocket Principles is designed to help us begin the process of understanding people.

We begin with several benefits that understanding people can bring us.

First, understanding people helps us to understand what motivates their behavior. When God created man, He created him incomplete, and this incompleteness drives a person to try to get his needs met. For example, one of the greatest needs all of us have is for value and worth. We see this need revealed in the ways people seek acceptance, recognition, and approval. From the child’s attention seeking to an adult’s basic insecurity, this need is evident. Driven by this need, a child will often act out to get negative attention, which is preferable to being ignored. An adult will make all kinds of sacrifices to win some positive feedback and may even demand it from others. Even if we deny our needs, we still are driven by them, and our words and actions betray us.

Second, we need to understand people so we can be sensitive to them. The more we understand people, their struggles and needs, the more we can come along side them in helpful, significant ways, communicate their “specialness” and show them their need for God and spiritual growth.

A third reason to understand people is to correct inadequate views of man. There are many wrong views of man both outside of Christianity and within. Our understanding of people must be derived from the Bible. What does God say about man? Since God created us, He knows even more about us than we do about ourselves. In the Pocket Principles that follow we will explore how God has created us, the effect of the Fall of man and the restorative ministry of Christ.

What do you think? Does a persons understanding of themselves matter? How would knowing how to understand people change the way you treat your spouse, family, customers, business partners?

Feel free to comment below!

 

Here are the topics coming up each week

Created in the Image of God, part 1, part 2

The Fallenness of Man, part 1, part 2

Restoration through Christ

Created with Needs

Getting Needs Met

Created with Emotions

Understanding Emotional Problems

Healing from Emotional Problems

 

Get this Pocket Principle in Understanding People, part of Cornerstone  from the WDA Store

For more information visit the WDA Store.