Welcome back to week 33. We hope the past week has been a blessed one for you. Last week we briefly considered the preconditioning level in biblical counseling and why it is important. This week we will briefly examine complicating problems and its significance in the biblical counseling process. What exactly is a complicating problem and what do we do about it?

Problems are part of a sin cursed world and a sin cursed people. Problems in a counselee’s life can come from external uncontrollable circumstances. Examples of this can include a rear ending in traffic, a faltering stock market, a life threatening or life changing illness, etc. 

Problems also arise from internal controllable choices. Examples of this can include many different variations of wrong heart responses to problems.^[1] We all experience problems and we all respond to them in various ways, but the problem should not be the focus. It’s the response to the problem that should be the focus. Afterall, its a sinful response to a problem is where the complication process begins.^[2]

When the counselee chooses to respond in a sinful fashion to a problem, he or she starts their first step down the slippery slope of problem complication. The counselee’s first sinful step quickly leads to another sinful step which leads to another and another. The habit of sinful responses has begun and the complication of ensuing guilt and depression are close behind. Sinful habits are easy to develop, but the Bible warns against them (Prov. 5:21-22).  

A good concrete example of how a problem becomes complicated through sinful responses is seen in the origin of depression. The Bible calls depression, countenance. In Genesis chapter four Cain and Abel both brought their respective sacrifices to the Lord, but Cain did not bring the kind of sacrifice that the Lord had commanded (Gen. 4:4-5). 

The Lord regarded Abel’s offering because it was the kind of offering, He commanded. However, in Cain’s erroneous eyes, God’s response to his offering was the problem, not his wrong offering to God. Cain had things flip-flopped in his mind. 

Cain could have repented, sought the right kind of offering, and returned to the Lord in right standing. However, Cain chose to complicate his problem by choosing to take a step down the slippery slope of sinful problem complication. He did this, the Bible teaches us, by becoming “very angry” at God’s rejection of his offering (v. 5b). 

Cain complicated his problem with the sinful response of anger. Cain did not repent from his anger thus his sin wrapped itself around his heart like a boa constrictor. Then, his countenance fell (v. 5c).^[3]

The Lord offered Cain an opportunity to repent by asking Cain pointed questions. These pointed questions exposed his sinful heart responses (v. 6). However, Cain still had no righteous response of repentance. He was being rebellious.  

Therefore, the Lord graciously gives Cain the answer to His questions. He gives him a warning about his sin and its consequences, which was another gracious opportunity to repent (v. 7). Cain still rejects God’s way of doing things and further complicates his problem. 

In verse eight, Cain’s anger towards the Lord has festered in his heart. He wants to lash out toward the Lord but he cannot reach him so he takes it out on his brother Able. Cain then murders Able. 

The Lord gives Cain yet another opportunity to repent from all his sin through more pointed questions (v. 10). Cain refuses the Lord’s undeserved offer of repentance yet again. Cain’s refusal to turn from his initial problem of a bad offering resulted in a lifelong curse on his head from God (vv. 11-12). 

Cain had the initial problem of a rebellious offering. Cain chose to further complicate his problem and slide down the slope of sinful choices by refusing to repent. Cain now had a huge complicating problem. Cain’s complicated problem had the same origin as current day counselees –he did not (immediately) repent from his sin. This complicated Cain’s problem and brought undesired consequences. 

Just as in Cain’s day, when we sow sinful complication into our problems, we will reap further undesired consequences. When we complicate our problems with sinful responses we will suffer and worse, God will be dishonored. If Cain had obeyed the Lord his depression would have lifted and God would have been glorified through Cain’s obedient heart. Let us repent swiftly and uncomplicate an already difficult situation, for God’s glory and our good! 

We hope our short time considering complicating problems in biblical counseling was helpful. It is critical that we repent of our sin rather than complicate matters by remaining in it for God’s glory and our own good. Lord willing, next week we will consider halo data and its importance in the counseling / discipleship process.  Until then may our Lord bless you and keep you.

^[1] However, the Christian is no longer a slave to sinful heart choices (Rom. 6:5-7; 2 Cor. 5:17).

^[2] This process is intimately intertwined with the preconditioning level problem.

^[3] Note that Cain’s depression, his fallen countenance, came after his undealt with anger, not after a chemical imbalance.