What happens when missionaries are repeatedly faced with illness, kidnappings, difficult teammates and a myriad of unexpected and painful trials? To whom do they turn for help when the Hand of Providence brings a cloud of grief and confusion that momentarily shatters their Christ-centered perspective on the purpose of life and their call to take up their cross? For some, the help is literally just not there; for others, the help they receive only brings more confusion and doubt. Missionaries need bedrock truth to help them bear the storms of overseas life with a faithful perspective. They need more than man’s reasoning to bring enduring hope in painful circumstances. They need God’s wisdom and instruction along with the work of the Holy Spirit to change and restore their lives. For this reason, biblical counseling is enormously valuable in the context of missions because its main conviction is that Scripture is sufficient to provide great hope and transforming help amidst the most stressful, perplexing, and tragic circumstances. As we will see through the life of Adoniram and Ann Judson, as well as a personal experience, biblical counseling is the only sufficient means to combat the unique and complicated struggles that missionaries face.

The Example of the Judsons

Two hundred years ago, Adoniram Judson and his newly wed wife Ann set sail for Burma to bring the gospel to a people who had never heard the good news of Christ. The Judsons were highly discouraged from going because of the local government’s tyranny, the extreme hardships they would face, and the death rate of previous missionaries. ((John Piper, Filling up the Afflictions of Christ (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2009) 34.)) Despite these glaring obstacles, Adoniram and Ann set foot on Burmese soil in 1813, determined to obey their God-given call to bring the message of Christ to these people. The constant hardships of illness, imprisonment, and death they were to face were humanly insurmountable. Only God’s power in the midst of this kind of suffering could enable Adoniram Judson to translate both Testaments and a dictionary into Burmese. And it is a testament to the goodness and grace of God that faithful servants of Christ as Adoniram, “despised and forsaken by men, a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief,” (Isa 53:3) leave behind lasting and impactful legacies for the kingdom. For his valuable works of translation duly led to the conversion of thousands of Burmese souls and the establishment of churches throughout the region. The lasting effect of these works continues today in spite of limited gospel influence within the country.

The Solid Rock of God’s Sovereignty

The Judsons’ commitment to God’s call for their life was unshakable because they believed that God was sovereignly involved in the eternal fate of the Burmese people as well as their own suffering. After losing their second child, Adoniram and Ann remained confident in both God’s sovereignty and his goodness. Ann Judson wrote:

“Our hearts were bound up with this child; we felt he was our earthly all, our only source of innocent recreation in this heathen land. But God saw it was necessary to remind us of our error, and to strip us of our only little all. O, may it not be vain that he has done it. May we so improve it that he will stay his hand and say ‘It is enough.’” ((Courtney Anderson, To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson (Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1987) 193.))

Several years later, the Anglo-Burmese war broke out. Suspected of being a spy, Adoniram endured imprisonment while Ann and their daughter fought dysentery and smallpox. By the end of the war, Adoniram had been released. He and his family, though physically weakened, were yet spiritually sustained by God’s supernatural grace and goodness amidst tremendous hardship.

A year later in 1826, Ann suffered from a fever that took her life. Two-year-old Maria Judson lived only six months after Ann. Four months later, Adoniram received word that his beloved father had died. At this point, Judson felt like death had prevailed. He had now lost all his original American teammates, his entire family, and a believing Burmese friend. Judson’s mind was reeling with deep and difficult questions. Although trying not to lose confidence in the raw truth that he was to deny himself and treasure Christ (Luke 9:23-24, Phil 3:8, Acts 20:24), he wrestled with the meaning and purpose behind the deaths of those he loved so dearly. Enduring the loss of multiple loved ones in such a short time period was a massive test of his faith. He threw himself back into missionary work in an attempt to drown out the grief. However, he found no relief from the deep-seated hurt and troubling questions. Judson fought with his thoughts trying to detect whether his sin of pride and love of praise from others had any bearing at all on all his suffering. Yet, while in the torrent of agony and suffering, God’s guiding hand never left Adoniram. For after painful introspection he concluded that through these deaths and the agony that followed, God was teaching him humility and the reality of His sovereignty. ((Anderson, To the Golden Shore, (Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1987) 393.))

The Trap of Isolation

In late 1827, Judson attempted to deal with his self-diagnosed problems of selfish ambition, pride, self-blame, and guilt, which he assumed had a direct connection with his suffering. He began to study “quietism” and various mystic writers. ((Judson read mystic writers Thomas à Kempis and Fénelon. His favorite quietist writer was Madame Guyon to whom he was exposed before imprisonment. Merriam-Webster defines quietism as “a system of religious mysticism teaching that perfection and spiritual peace are attained by annihilation of the will and passive absorption in contemplation of God and divine things.”)) These writers counseled Judson to ease his anguish with solitary asceticism and meditation. So in October 1828 he built a hut for himself in a remote part of the jungle, calling it the “Hermitage.” ((Anderson, To the Golden Shore (Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1987) 388.)) He wrote to Ann’s sisters in America saying,

“I have this day moved into a small cottage, which I have built in the woods, away from the haunts of men. It proves a stormy evening, and the desolation around me accords with the desolate state of my own mind, where grief for the dear departed combines with sorrow for present sin, and my tears flow at the same time over the forsaken grave of my love and over the loathsome sepulcher of my own heart.” ((Edward Judson, The Life of Adoniram Judson (Philadelphia, PA: American Baptist Publication Society, 1883) 304.))

Judson’s thoughts and beliefs were very much distorted at this point. He was convinced that isolation and self-denial would produce the Lord’s favor and give him hope. He even dug a grave in order to contemplate how the body decays. He had hoped that this practice would shed light on how to defeat his fleshly desires and gain victory over his sin. In time, Judson recognized that his actions were ridiculous, yet he continued to seek spiritual peace and favor from God in isolation, removed from the wisdom, accountability, and love of the community of believers. Even during this dark and confusing time, God’s grace was clearly evident. He was not only being “watched” and secretly cared for by a local believer, but also had his Bible with him in the jungle and read it almost every day. ((Anderson, To the Golden Shore (Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1987) 388-90))

A Glimmer of Hope

Nearly two years of isolation passed. Finally Judson received some encouraging news that his brother had become a believer right before his death. God used this news to break into the thick fog of his distorted thinking and bring a glimmer of hope. Judson’s heart was newly awakened to God’s goodness and sovereignty because of the gracious work of Christ in his brother’s life. He clearly began to see that isolation and solitary asceticism were not capable of dealing with his guilt and self-blame. ((Anderson, To the Golden Shore (Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1987) 392)) Through this turn of events, Adoniram reaffirmed his faith in God and continued his ministry in Burma. God remained faithful even through his darkest most lonely hours.

God’s Word Alone is Effective

Though actual circumstances may differ, Judson’s struggle and crisis of faith is often repeated in the lives of missionaries today. Like Judson, they face similar types of pressures of physical, spiritual, and emotional hardships, and must be trained in how to fight the lies and tactics of the enemy. In many assignments, missionaries have few if any fellow believers around them, so out of necessity they battle in isolation. But the Scriptures equip and command believers to effectively counsel others who are in great affliction, distress, and despair. God’s word alone is powerful and sufficient to provide wisdom and help for the multitude of situations missionaries encounter. And no matter how far removed from other believers, every Christian has God’s great promises and directives in the Bible, which give hope and victory in the face of significant hardships. Through Scripture, God has equipped every believer to apply specifically and aggressively his truth to what is going on inside a person’s heart as well as their outward circumstances (2 Pet 1:3-4). Far too easily the general, emotions-centered, therapeutic jargon gets lost in the pain. In his word God has given us the tools we need to aggressively and directly address the practical hardships that every believer will face.

A Responsibility to Care

Not only are the necessary tools in place, but the church and supporting agencies also have a direct responsibility to care for these dear missionaries, not only through prayer and financial support, but also by ministering the word to them in a specific way to their specific circumstances and needs. They must come alongside to encourage, build up and strengthen them. For, “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel” (Prov. 27:9). The sponsoring churches and sending agencies must recognize their responsibility and institute programs accordingly so that every missionary is cared for effectively and individually.

A calling for all believers. While the institutions bear a significant responsibility, according to Scripture, counseling is a duty for all believers (Acts 20:20, 31-32) and especially for leaders who oversee those in ministry. Missionaries should be able to counsel one another on the field, as well as receive help from home church members and sending agencies. Unfortunately, this lasting help will not happen unless we embrace the sufficiency of Scripture and equip believers, church leaders, and missionaries to minister God’s Word into very difficult circumstances. ((“Ministering God’s Word” in counseling means to exhort, apply, teach, and rebuke (2 Tim 4:2, Acts 6:2-4). It is using God’s word to implement God’s promises and principles in order to help a person deal with sin and trials, pointing them to God’s redemptive power and love in Christ. See also, Jay Adams, Critical Stages in Biblical Counseling (Hackettstown, NJ: Timeless Texts, 2002) 151.)) We must believe that the Bible is sufficient to both meet the needs of the one who is hurting and also equip all the saints to care for the hurts and needs of others.

The daily necessity of the Gospel. The Bible teaches that ministering the Word to individual’s unique circumstances, heart responses, and thinking is not to be limited to those who have intense and complex problems, but it is a daily need for all believers. We all need to be reminded how the gospel and other biblical truth relates and applies to our lives and circumstances every day (1 Thess 4:18, 5:11; Rom 15:14; Col 3:13; and James 5:16). ((John MacArthur and The Master’s College Faculty, Counseling: How to Counsel Biblically (Nashville, TN: Nelson, Inc., 2005) 3.)) For believers and missionaries, it is necessary and important to receive humble and loving counsel from God’s Word regularly. For the Word is powerful to give life, adequate to instruct, able to revive the soul (2 Tim 3:16; Ps 19:7-8), and sufficient to prepare us to weather life’s storms.

The importance of counsel on the mission field. Since the mission field is often riddled with its own set of storms, it is especially important for missionaries to receive biblical counsel as they seek to minister to others. Counsel is only as valuable as it is “biblical” or “true,” and it is only effective when it is bathed in prayer. Due to the complex and often differing situations of missionaries, the counsel they receive must be specifically relevant and specifically applied to the individual’s specific circumstances. Persecution, hardships, and pain are especially prevalent among missionaries. We, therefore, must respond to the dire need with counseling steeped in Scripture and individually tailored to meet the unique circumstances of each missionary.

Defining Biblical Counseling

Up to this point we have seen the necessity of biblical counseling in the life of every believer. But before we can continue, it is necessary to make sure we are on the same page in our use of foundational vocabulary. Since the word counseling can have different connotations in our culture today, it is important to define what is meant when we use the term “biblical counseling.”

First and foremost, the Bible is clear that counseling is primarily to be administered in discipleship community in the context of the local church; biblical counseling is neither independent from the church nor done apart from discipleship (Eph 4:14-16; Col 1:28). It incorporates the community of believers by establishing relationships and providing resources for every Christian to bless and encourage weak and needy believers (Col 1:28-29, 3:16). Biblical counseling emphasizes reliance on the Word of God as sufficient to bring understanding and give help and hope to people with relational, emotional, mental, and behavioral problems (Rom 15:4-5, 13). It is also not based on man’s reasoning or opinion, but solely founded on God’s Word. Biblical counseling does not ignore true medical issues, but works diligently to see the person as a whole (1 Tim 5:23; Ps 32:3-4). It is neither insensitive nor uncaring (Acts 20:31; 1 Thess 2:7-12). But rather, in love, uses God’s Word, by the Holy Spirit, to appropriate truth to a person’s desires, thoughts, and behavior (Rom 12:1-2; Eph 4; 2 Peter 1:3). Biblical counseling does not focus solely on behavioral issues or circumstances (Prov 4:23; Mark 7:21ff), but deals with one’s sins or trials by strategically helping them connect and apply the truths and promises of the gospel to their lives (Prov 18:13; 2 Pet 1:3-4). It equips a person with tools to live out God’s commands by grace through faith (2 Cor 10:5; Col 3; Eph 4). This counsel focuses on the gospel, and seeks to put these Christ-centered truths into action. Finally, it should be fully realized that the ultimate goal is to give God glory through sanctifying the believer and strengthening the church (John 17:17-19). ((Stuart W. Scott, “Discipleship Counseling” – lecture in Introduction to Biblical Counseling course, fall 2011.))

In summary, biblical counseling is discipleship counseling. Too often discipleship is seen as simply teaching a new believer the fundamentals of faith in Christ. However, the Bible clearly commands consistent personal involvement in each other’s lives in order to bring God’s Word to bear on specific life issues. The “Great Commission” in Matthew 28:18-20 says that we are to baptize and teach others to observe (keep or live out) all that He commanded. The church has neglected this essential directive and presumed that those who are familiar with the Bible know how to apply it to every aspect of their lives (Deut 6:1-3; Eph 4:11-16). Biblical counseling in its truest sense is coming alongside another with comfort and instruction from Scripture, helping a person cultivate an understanding of how the gospel of Christ Jesus addresses every aspect of life. This way of discipleship counseling teaches a person how to live for God’s glory.

Discipleship counseling is also multiplicative. We must disciple in view of equipping leaders to then counsel others. As a believer effectively applies God’s word to his own life, he is then able to pour out God’s principles, promises, and gospel application into other people’s lives. In this type of intense discipleship, leaders are more adequately prepared and equipped so that they may in turn counsel, prepare, and equip others. Discipleship counseling establishes a system in which the gospel of Christ is effectively advancing and where leaders are consistently trained and commissioned to train others.

A Lesson from the Judsons

In order to see the value of biblical counseling for missionaries, and by extension those whom they disciple, it is beneficial to examine Judson’s response to trials as a practical example of how God’s word is effective and powerful to give help and hope. It is also beneficial to examine how the body of Christ can be God’s helpful instrument to speak his truth in love and to bring clarity, encouragement, and hope to missionaries in times of need. Looking at Judson’s circumstances through the lens of biblical counseling can serve as a catalyst for learning how to glorify God in the midst of significant hardships.

Hope from God’s Promises

First, Judson needed hope from God’s precious promises (2 Pet 1:3). Recalling promises in trials can keep the heart and mind attuned to who God is and what He is doing. Judson needed to believe specific promises related to his situation. For example, God never leaves or forsakes his own (Heb 13:5). God is for us because of Christ and not against us (Rom 8:31-39). God is faithful to make all questions clear in time as we choose to abide in him and trust what he has allowed (Ps 31:14-15, 62:5-8). God hears the righteous cry for help and delivers them out of affliction (Ps 34:15-19). God will strengthen, help, and carry his people through (Is 41:10; Ps 59:16). And God will “take us by the hand and keep us” (Is 42:6). The faithfulness and goodness of God can easily grow dim if the difficulty or trial gains the greater focus. Keeping a biblical perspective of God through meditating on his promises and purposes will enable missionaries to hold fast to hope during trials.

Progressive Sanctification

Secondly, Judson’s misguided belief on sanctification was the root issue in his painful isolation. From the moment of his conversion, Judson had been zealous to attain “perfect sanctification.” ((Hannah C. Conant, The Earnest Man: A Memoir of Adoniram Judson, D.D. (London: J. Heaton & Son, 1861) 354.)) This zeal motivated him to compile a list of resolutions. On this list he wrote “believe in the doctrine of perfect sanctification attainable in this life.” ((Edward Judson, The Life of Adoniram Judson (Philadelphia, PA: American Baptist Publication Society, 1883), 304.)) It is no surprise from this belief that Judson tried to deal with his sin by practicing self-denial and solitary asceticism. Scripture says: “Have nothing to do with irreverent silly myths. Rather train yourself for Godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance” (1 Tim 4:7-9). Judson had half of God’s truth correct. He valued godliness, but his method to attain to that godliness was based on a belief contrary to Scripture. God’s word teaches that sanctification is progressive in this life and perfection is only reached in the day of Christ (Phil 1:6, 2:12; 1 Thess 5:23-24). We cannot attain perfection in this life as Judson thought, but are being made into Christ’s image as we mortify habitual sin by calling on the power of the Holy Spirit for help to apply God’s principles of change. Without utilizing the Spirit’s help, a believer is rendered helpless to fight. Judson could not and was not meant to fight his fleshly motives by any other means.

Wrong View of Scripture

Thirdly, two important principles in Scripture need to be examined with regard to how Judson responded to his circumstance by isolation. In turning to the counsel of quietist and mystic writers, he opened his vulnerable heart to be influenced in a way contrary to Scripture. We can learn from Judson’s life the need for community and a strong understanding of God’s grace in times of hardship and pain.

Need for community.

God’s word consistently points in the opposite way of isolation. “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment” (Prov 18:1). Being in the jungle alone did not bring Judson closer to God as he had hoped; rather it lured him away from “sound judgment” and hearing God’s truth—the only true source of comfort and hope. He did have his Bible with him, but his response suggests that Scripture was not his authority to guide him through this trial. Judson desperately needed to stay among other believers and hear them speak God’s truth specifically to his situation. His mind was naturally clouded because of his circumstances; therefore it was necessary and biblical to ask for a pair of “fresh eyes” to help him see his thoughts and situation from God’s perspective (Prov 11:14, 24:6).

Victory accomplished only through Christ.

God’s word also teaches that asceticism of any kind has an appearance of wisdom, but ultimately “has no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Col 2:23). Secular counsel influenced Judson to believe that through deep contemplation he could correct the wrong motivations and thoughts in his heart and mind. On the contrary, God designed that victory over sinful fleshly desires is accomplished in Christ’s death and resurrection (Col 2:13-15; 2 Cor 15:57-58). It is because of Christ’s ultimate victory that we gain personal victory in mortifying the flesh through actively walking by the power of his Spirit (Rom 8:13; Gal 5:16). The battle over fleshly thoughts, motives, and desires is active, and therefore must not be fought passively as is prescribed in ascetical practices. ((Tim Dowley, Eerdmans’ Handbook to the History of Christianity. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1985) 498.)) It is only through an understanding of Christ’s victory and an active involvement, empowered by the Spirit, that we find victory over sin.

Taking Every Thought Captive

A fourth lesson to learn from Judson’s experience is the importance of the renewal of our mind and taking thoughts captive. Discouragement or despair does not happen automatically. It comes as a result of replaying hopeless, discouraging, untruthful thoughts over and over. Judson’s thoughts became so distorted because he replayed in his mind the lies that self-denial was the answer. The Bible commands us to take our thoughts captive (2 Cor 10:5) and to renew the mind (Eph 4:22-24); these commands are not an option. It is important for missionaries to know how to effectively renew the mind. We “take our thoughts captive” practically by capturing heart responses (beliefs, desires, thoughts, and the emotions and actions that follow) and replacing them with God’s truth found in his promises and principles. It is a careful process to first examine the heart and mind’s responses during trials, emotional struggles, and/or sin. Secondly, to ask for God’s help, by the Spirit, to see what thoughts are not truthful or God-glorifying. And finally, to apply specific scriptures to aggressively attack those thoughts in order to finally turn the mind/heart towards Christ and hope and away from ungratefulness, disappointment, and despair. Lies and distorted, hopeless thoughts must be personally exposed and attacked with truth; otherwise, they feed the soul destructive thoughts that eventually lead to hopelessness and death (Jms 1:15). As believers, God’s word is our ultimate authority, and therefore we must train ourselves to think according to His word and hope in it rather than our own conclusions or feelings (Phil 4:8-11; 1 Tim 4:7-9). The only other alternative is to run from, try to ignore, or continue in our thoughts, which will eventually lead down the spiral of despair.

A Wrong Understanding of Sin

Lastly, believers may know God’s truth, but in times of despair allow adverse circumstances to distort that truth. One of Judson’s main distorted thoughts serves as a helpful example. In the midst of suffering he writes, “By taking away all my loved ones, God is punishing me because I had sinful motives and desires in coming to the mission field.” ((Courtney Anderson, To the Golden Shore (Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1987) 382-3.)) Judson knew that God had fully dealt with his punishment for sin with Christ’s death. But a wrong theology about trials and the burden of facing the deaths of multiple loved ones led him to the deception that he had done something wrong to merit these losses. This belief, though common, is contrary to what Scripture says about how God deals with sin. It is crucial in these moments to examine thoughts with Scripture and bring God and his Word to bear. “He who trusts in his own heart [thinking, desires, and feelings that follow] is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered” (Prov 28:26 NASB). Also, the Bible teaches us that God does not keep a record of wrong (Ps 130), nor does he “repay us according to our sins” (Ps 103:10). And finally Scripture clearly reveals that Christ has taken our punishment. Even though these deaths may have felt like punishment, it was imperative for Judson to go back to the solid truth that God allows suffering to accomplish his will. This is true whether we sin or not. He uses all suffering to establish his purposes, to help us fix our gaze on him, and to grow us in Christ-likeness. With these essential truths, one can glorify the Lord in pain by turning away from using feelings and the circumstance to determine who God is and what He is doing. God can and will provide all the grace and help needed to walk in full dependence on him. He is enough in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9-10), but we must turn to him and his truth with all of our heart and mind.

A Personal Tragedy

Before finishing college I was accepted to serve in Mexico for two months with four other college students. Our assignment was to help an IMB missionary family with outreach and evangelism in their area. A week into our term, we all went with the family to a nearby beach to celebrate their daughter’s birthday. None of us knew the tragedy we would face as we stepped into the ocean that day. In just minutes our fun and playful time turned into a life-changing situation for us all. Before we knew what was happening, the water suddenly became rough and we were caught in an instant undertow. I, along with two other college students, barely made it to shore. However, the missionary father, his oldest daughter, and the two remaining college students drowned that day. The losses were traumatic. Numb and in shock, questions turned in my mind: “How could this happen?” “Why am I alive and they are not?” “How could God allow this to happen?” I could not make sense of things. I knew God was with me, but the pain and shock seemed to overtake his presence.

Inadequacy of Spiritual Advice

I went to Christian counseling with the other two young men who survived. With all of our different perspectives we pieced together the story, but the counsel that we received was centered more on coping with the loss than on God. The counselor told me I was suffering from “survivor guilt,” which was common after traumatic events. Instead of looking at Scripture, we talked through our situation and prayed together. These things were good, but they were not enough. I desperately needed to see how God fit into this picture of suffering. I wrestled for a year with God’s purpose in these deaths and why he allowed it. I also struggled with fear of the ocean, and began to suppress any memories of that day because I did not know what to do with them. In this situation, biblical counseling would have been more helpful and beneficial. Initially, the counsel I was given about survival guilt made sense. However, it not only encouraged more self-focus, but was an unbiblical concept. I did not need to “feel guilt” because I survived. I needed to look to God who “brings death and makes alive…brings down to the grave and raises up” (1 Sam 2:6). God was not absent that day on the beach as I thought, but he is a God “at hand…and not far away” (Jer 23:23-24). My mind could not wrap around how God could have allowed such disastrous circumstances, but disassociating him from the situation to figure things out was not profitable. I needed to draw him into my life and let his word show me who he was and who he would continue to be.

Turning to the Scripture

In the middle of the pain a friend counseled and encouraged me to read Psalm 71, and I remember drinking in the truth of this passage. God was not ignorant of my pain: “You (God) who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again” (71:20), I needed to cry out to him like the Psalmist, “O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!” (71:12). Most importantly, I needed to hear that though I did not understand why this happened, I must first trust God, knowing that he will bring understanding in his perfect time: “For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth” (71:5). It would have been helpful to have more passages like this to accurately point out the promises and hope I could have in the midst of this trial. I needed to know how to recognize wrong thinking like: “I couldn’t control this, and God didn’t control this either. How can this be right? I’m so confused and feel so alone, and vulnerable” And then know how to renew my thinking with God’s truth by saying: “Lord I thank you that you are in control of my life (and the lives of others) right now even though this seems to have come out of nowhere; nothing catches you off guard (Job 42:2; Is 14:27, 43:13). Thank you that you are good and right in all you do and allow, even though this is confusing and not how I planned or wanted things to go (Ps 119:68,71; 145:17; Prov 20:24). I thank you that there is a very good reason for this if for nothing else than to learn to trust you no matter what, strengthen my faith and/or get my attention out of love (Ps 31:14-15; Rom 8:26-39). Thank you that you are very near to me right now as I call on you in sorrow (Ps 119:28; Is 43:1-3; Jer 23-24). Father, please help me to get my bearings and believe that you are great and powerful and have not stopped working on my behalf (Ps 119:28-30, 145:5), but that you are for me and can help me now (1 Chron 29:11-12). Please help me to believe that you are my only refuge in this time of need (Ps 46:1-2, 55:22). I thank you that things are not really out of control right now and that you will strengthen, help and uphold me (Is 41:10). It will be sin for me to follow my feelings of despair and thoughts because my feelings can be deceptive and full of the enemy’s lies (Prov 3:5, 14:12, 28:26). I choose right now to speak truth to my heart and hope in you, my God, waiting patiently in your sustaining, restoring hand (Ps 42). Please help me to remember that you have and are always protecting me from so much (Ps 121:8). Help me to remember that anything that happens, comes through your loving, controlling, steady hand, and will not be harmful to me. You are worthy of my praise and adoration (Ps 145:3; Phil 3:8) for you are good and in control. I submit to this as your plan for me, trusting that you are able to help me handle it.”

God’s Sovereign Goodness

Though that time of tragedy brought much pain to many people, God worked in and through it. In divine providence, three churches have started and a thousand people have come to know Christ in the very area where God’s precious children died on the beach that day. God accomplished his will and purposes during this trial for the good of those involved, the good of others, and for His glory. In times of pain and suffering we as Christians must cling to God’s sovereign goodness and proclaim that truly “God works all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purposes” (Rom 8:28). And when we do not understand, may we trust him when he proclaims, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:9). God is sovereign, he is good, and he “works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” (Eph 1:11).

Sanctification Through Suffering

Several years later God led me to a much longer term on the mission field in Central Asia. As a missionary, the pressures of religious intolerance, cultural differences, illness, and language acquisition made life stressful both physically and spiritually. At one point in my term I became very ill and kept losing weight. In my physical weakness I began to doubt. I would ask questions like, “If I can’t leave my apartment, how am I supposed to minister the gospel and do what I came to do.” Again, I was in a place where I could not see out of my situation. I knew God was in control, but did not understand why he would allow this pain to happen. I responded with anxious and frustrated thoughts. Because I did not understand how to “take my thoughts captive,” those anxious thoughts continued to flourish and grow.

Looking back, I see my circumstances from a different perspective. My mind was clouded with wrong thinking and a wrong perspective of God. My roommate helped me to sift through my thoughts with God’s truth, dispelling some of the lies I did not recognize I was believing. However, it was still a test of faith to believe these biblical truths. Personally, I did not want things to be so hard or to feel so weak. But God in his omniscience had much more in mind. His plan included not only the effective spread of his Gospel, but also my sanctification. By his grace I learned to persevere and grow in my faith. God used my weakness to humble me and show himself strong. He taught me dependence on him, his goodness, power, glory, grace, and love. A stark reality hit me. I had knowledge about God and his truth, but often failed in applying that knowledge. I needed to discipline myself to cease replaying doubtful and deceitful thoughts and actively replace them with the truth of God’s goodness and sovereignty. God used pain and hardships during this time in my life to grow my humility and dependence on him and ultimately make me more into the image of Christ.

Practical Application of Scripture

Since my time on the mission field, training in biblical counseling has helped me see the glorious truths in the gospel and how to apply them to everyday life. I wish I had then the perspective and training I have today. I know I could have handled those difficulties in a way that glorified my God more fully, exercising faith in my thoughts and actions. It would have been helpful for someone, in a discipleship-based relationship, to lovingly confront me about my anxiety and frustration, much of which I did not even see in my heart. I wanted to think biblically, but needed someone to come alongside me, speak the truth in love, point out the wrong thoughts and help me to replace them with ones that were truthful, hopeful, thankful, and God glorifying. I also needed to learn not to be persuaded and controlled by my feelings, but instead to abide in God’s truth and be driven by faith in him as my Father. I, as every other Christ follower, needed a community of believers to walk with me, helping me to expose sin and apply God’s truth to my circumstances.

The Necessity of Biblical Counseling

Complications from the Extra-biblical Approach

For a long time a much different counseling method has been dominant on the mission field. Many missionaries have received counsel that often sounds biblical, but has a subtle blend of secular theory and extra-biblical guidance. Instead of recognizing the power of God’s Word as adequate to address every aspect of life, this inclusion of secular reasoning has often diminished clear biblical help concerning God’s sovereignty and goodness over all his creation. It often intertwines the word of God (the wisdom of God) with secular psychology (the wisdom of man). ((John MacArthur and The Master’s College Faculty, Counseling: How to Counsel Biblically (Nashville, TN: Nelson, Inc., 2005) 3-4.)) By this integration, it has failed to see the vital necessity of piercing the inner thoughts and the turmoil of a person’s heart and mind with God’s truth (Heb 4:12). As a result, this compromise has caused confusion and doubt about the authority of God’s word and its relevance and effectiveness to impact and bring lasting hope and change in the life of a believer. This misguided approach has had a profound effect on the spiritual well being of missionaries and even those they lead to Christ. We must seek to reinstitute the vital practical of biblical counseling and bring Christians (and missions) back to a full reliance on the sufficiency of Scripture and God’s power to transform and restore lives.

God’s Unchanging Design of Biblical Counseling

As one who has experienced the frontline where our missionaries engage in spiritual battle, my plea is for an undiluted use of biblical counseling for those who are serving as faithful soldiers in God’s kingdom. Whatever the circumstance you face this hour and whatever troubles or pain lie ahead, you can have a sure and unshakable confidence in the Word of God. The sufficiency of God’s word is like a perpetual fountain springing from the treasury of God’s divine excellencies, for it is consistently faithful to provide infinitely refreshing counsel and eternal comfort to those who are in the darkest trials. Biblical counseling is a voice that invites believers to drink at this fountain of hope. Such immersion in the Living Water leaves them satisfied with a deeper understanding of who God is in the midst of their problems. This was God’s perfect design for the Judsons 300 years ago, for myself 10 years ago, and should continue to be for all God’s children who choose to take him at his Word.