My experience in counseling has caused me to realize the critical role of faith. In nearly every case, to get a person to really believe Biblical truth is to help them him or her through their problem.

Anatomy of doubt. Unbelief creates, preserves, intensifies and magnifies problems. In many cases the degree of doubt is directly related to the seriousness of the counseling problem. What exactly is doubt?

• The ignoring or obviating of God's truth
• Denial of Scriptures' relevance to oneself or to one's problem
• Denial that a promise or a prohibition pertains to oneself

Boyancy of faith. There is a definite boyancy of faith that lifts us up beyond the cares of the mundane world. People who are full of faith are full of joy. Faith also acts as a buffer against life's disappointments. Faith is not dependant upon circumstances but is rooted in the nature of God and the Scriptures. These eternal verities have a stablizing effect on people.