Can Priests Be A Good Christian Marriage Counselors?
Marriages are wonderful institutions when they shape up well. Nobody really knows why some marriages wok wonderfully and how others end in divorce. A Christian marriage, if you follow the scriptures to the letter, should never be dissolved because there is a belief that such union has been ordained by God Himself. However, even in the homes of exemplary Christians there are marital problems, some so bad that the couple would prefer to end their marriage.
Christian Marriage Counseling To The Rescue
Many such couples before taking the drastic step, choose to go for counseling and see whether the marriage can be saved. Unfortunately, the counseling services are far in between and even though the professional services available are good, it takes time to get to the root of the problem which is difficult to do when the discussion is broken into hourly piece meal consultations. The result is that very rarely the marriage counseling has any great effect on reconsidering separation or divorce. Sometimes, it even accelerates it.
Some couples feel that Christian marriage counselors can do a better job at this because they put your life in religious perspective and therefore are able motivate better. However, not many agree to this concept. On the other hand, many consider their priest a better Christian marriage counselor than any professional.
Why The Priest Could Be Better as a Christian Marriage Counselor?
The priest would be a better mediator between the warring spouses because he would know them better. Each parish priest establishes a close relation with those who fall under his congregation. Owing to this relationship, the priest would be in a better position to advise and guide the spouses towards reconciliation. Besides, the priest would already be a trusted member of the family and hence sensitive discussions would be easier in front of him than anyone else.
As a Christian marriage counselor the priest would have many advantages over an unknown professional counselor. He would be comfortable with both the spouses; he would inspire trust and confidence in them; he would have a strong faith in God and be able to reflect this in his behavior and words and explain it in the context of marriage; he would be patient and he would be easy to confide in - and many other such clauses.
Most of all, the priest would be the best candidate because he would be able to provide counsel and mediate whenever you need him and not by appointment.
