THANKSGIVING

QUESTION: "Dr. Remington, as I sit in the waiting room of the Samaritan Counseling office I see and hear people hurting with depression, stress, grief and grieving, anxiety, marital/relationship problems, challenges with children, etc.. Is my thinking correct that these people are feeling no thankfulness?"


ANSWER: I think that your thinking is mainly incorrect. Simply because people are hurting doesn't necessarily mean that they are feeling nothing for which to be thankful. Here are just a few areas people in our offices who are hurting may be thankful -

They are thankful that when they come into our offices, they are immediately welcomed and feel important.
They are thankful that when they meet with a counselor they sense that they are fully accepted, as God fully accepts all of us, and no judgments are involved.
They are thankful because they receive hope - a hope that what brings them into counseling will be resolved.
They are thankful in realizing that clients coming for counseling are supported in prayer by many people on our staff and beyond our offices.
They are thankful because they sense in the sacredness of our counseling offices that the Presence and Power of God is right there active in the counseling sessions.
They are thankful as they begin to accept the truth that in their hurting they are in the process of becoming a more emotionally stable, spiritually solid, joyful, and fully functioning individual. They are supported in moving from thanksgiving to thanksliving.

We affirm this for all the people who honor us with their presence and trust, "With a thankful heart, I give and receive the abundance of God's good..I give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart."

READER: Submit questions to Ask-A-Counselor, obtain information, or make an appointment, by calling 843-448-4820, Fax: 448-9875, send to the Coastal Samaritan Counseling Center, 901 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 or log on to http://coastalsamaritan.blogspot.com/