Wonderful Counselor

For a child is born to us,

a son is given to us.

The government will rest on his shoulders.

And he will be called;

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 (NLT)

          Good counselors can be difficult to come by. I learned this first-hand when I was exploring options for our son, Benjamin. Most of the psychologists and counselors our pediatrician referred us to had plenty of knowledge. The diplomas on the walls proved that. Yet their expertise was focused on treating neuro-typical children. Because they didn’t fully understand Benjamin’s challenges, sensory issues, and thought processes, their counsel was mostly useless.

          Then a friend told me about a counselor who has a family member with Autism Spectrum Disorder. From the moment we met, I knew we’d finally found the right counselor. Her first-hand experience with autism not only enabled her to empathize with our son, but also empowered her to provide him with helpful coping strategies.

           Isaiah reminds us that in Christ, we have a Wonderful Counselor. Not just a source of wisdom, but Wisdom Himself. Not just someone who will listen and sympathize, but a God who is all knowing and a Savior who understands because He dwelt among us in human flesh. Jesus endured pain, suffered anguish, felt sorrow, shed tears, and faced an excruciating death. He knows. He understands.

In our struggles, we are not alone. Jesus sees. He cares. He listens. And He intercedes for us before the throne of grace. We can bring our struggles to Him because He understands better than anyone else.