Like many concepts in life, psychology is man-centered, and not God-centered. Cooking, aircraft design and accounting are all man-centered, but typically we don’t ask our chefs, engineers or accountants about their faith in the completion of their duties. Similarly, does psychology have to be God-centered to address my issues? It depends on the issue.
As noted in the first post, issues that are acute and transient are typical in everyone’s life:
- Starting a new job
- Losing a loved one
- Marital/familial strife
These are issues that typical in most lives, and there are solid Biblical teachings that address many of these areas.
However, when the worry about these issues (as opposed to the issues themselves) become significant or interfering, it is more likely that approach to life (worrying) needs to be addressed. Sometimes individuals can address the issue themselves, or through prayer and wise Godly counsel and learn to let go of their worries. Other times, the worry, panic or other psychological issue is so significant it requires more intervention.
An analogy would be diabetes. If I’m told I’m diabetic, I can decrease my sugar and carbohydrate intake and increase my exercise. For some that might be enough: for other individuals, this may not be enough and medication may also be necessary to regulate their insulin levels. Could God cure these people of diabetes? Sure. Does their having diabetes indicate that they are not faithful, or that by using medication they are not being reliant on God? I’m not so sure
Many daily life issues can be addressed through Biblical principles, and learning them can be very useful. Conversely, just as the Bible doesn’t instruct us on how to treat diabetes, it doesn’t directly address obsessive-compulsive disorder. We need to rely on what we know through research and the practice of empirically supported therapies, while also knowing that God is in control, loves us and is involved in our lives.