Amazing Complexity

Celebrating our complex nature

For many years I have been involved in training psychotherapists, and one of the beliefs that I have always sought to instil in my students is the uniqueness of each individual and the uniqueness of their issues. Sadly, there are many who fail to properly grasp this fundamental concept. This often results in 'one size fits all' approaches that at best offer only limited success. The reality is that people are highly complex beings, both in their nature and operation. Caring professionals and others who recognise this fact, are generally much more effective than those who don't. Given our complexity, and the multi-factorial nature of our experience, it is imperative that we carefully consider the evidence in each human situation, whether we are working with other people's issues, or our own. Knowledge and experience will help us greatly, but to go further we need a resource that transcends the limitations of our humanity. Enter the Holy Spirit. The Bible acknowledges our complexity, describing us as "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139), but also encourages us to "Be still and know ... God" (Psalm 46). Being omniscient (all-knowing), God can and will show us key things that we would not necessarily see by ourselves, and it's ofetn these things that make all the difference! In every situation you face, practice asking the Holy Spirit to give you the wisdom you need. Celebrate and embrace complexity!