Life Coaches are trained people in positions to offer aid to those needing direction for life. A life coach helps people achieve their dreams and work through life challenges. I do believe what they do is essential to many people. I challenge those who call themselves Jesus' disciples as to their need for this kind of coaching. I understand life can be challenging. I get the reality that difficulties in life may thwart our dreams. Things happen every day that can be discouraging. The Scripture maps out all this information. None of these disparaging circumstances should take us by surprise.
Here is an essential coaching God's Word offers us about life's difficulties. Peter tells us, in his first letter, "do not be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you." We need to understand that most things we seek from a Life Coach have answers directly or indirectly in the Bible. Does the Bible tell us what house to purchase? Does it direct us whom to marry, where to go to school, what job to take? Well, not directly. It does give us guiding principles to follow. Most of the information offered by many Life Coaches may contradict what God directs. Then what direction do we take? What if what a hired person tells you makes you feel good but is diametrically opposed to God's direction?
If man's answers contradict God's, the world's direction is unequivocally a lie. The world tells us we can have everything and achieve our dreams at all costs, and with self-effort, we can be all we want to be. We are warned by Paul in Romans 12, "do not be conformed to this world..." The writer of Hebrews tells us, "for here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come." Sadly, we permit ourselves to hold so tightly to this world that we forget it is not our home. That does not mean we shouldn't live purposefully. We must ask, however, what is the purpose?
Here is life coaching that may direct or re-direct us back to what Jesus says is our purpose while living on this earth. It is a priority for us to remember this earth and heaven have an ending date. We are to live with Christ in view, "crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." We are told "to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." That does not mean we cannot accomplish or achieve goals. It does mean our purpose must be to God's glory, not our own. If we prioritize God, it may mean letting go of what we want. That is a hard truth to swallow. That is where so many of us get in trouble. I have traveled the maze of wanting what I wanted at all costs. The payment for that was too pricey. It cost more than I could have imagined. And guess what? I was encouraged by a person who thought they were being helpful. They were, just not in the way God would have had me go. I followed man, and the consequences took years to get through.
Life is full of areas we need to stop and receive coaching. I don't dispute that. God's Word calls it becoming a disciple of Jesus. As Bob Dylan sang, "you're gonna serve somebody." Being a human's disciple or Jesus' disciple is the direction we all go. We are going to worship at the altar of man's advice or God's truth. He offers us the most fantastic coaching directly through his Word and through those who know him well and walk according to his truth. The people of God that coach us must direct us to God and not keep us dependent on them. Their goal must be to help us develop the ability to find what we need from God's Word ourselves. When those of the latter group offer to coach, it must line up with God's Word, or you receive the World's earthly and demonic wisdom. That, according to James 3:13-18.
Life coaching has become of great need in our day and age. It's a new profession that makes folks lots of money. People need to make a living, so I cannot disparage that. I will not apologize for warning God's people to be careful how you choose a life coach. It is better to find the life coaching offered freely in Scripture. You don't have to pay for the latter, but what you will receive is invaluable and life-changing that I can promise. It may take time, but it is so worth it. God's life coaching is not something he lets you go it alone. You will receive the help of the Ultimate Life Coach, who is the giver of life and gives the perfect life coaching.
And most importantly, his Son already paid the fee. You just come by faith. He provides the grace you need to understand the answers to all of life and the godliness you seek. That is actual life coaching.
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