One aspect of biblical counseling that I love is that we are NOT dispensing damaging and harmful labels on people with NO hope for change.
Nowadays, a rebellious-acting child who sees a psychiatrist is given the label of O.D.D. – Oppositional Defiance Disorder. (I know it seems “O.D.D.” – bad joke.)
Think about that – you are a parent who is struggling with a rebellious-acting youngster and you need solid parenting tools to help you, and the psychological “expert” labels the child as O.D.D. and prescribes medicine. Then, that same “expert” tells you that your child will ALWAYS be this particular label.
Where’s the hope? It’s very sad. What’s more sad is that Christians are believing these lies!!! Christians are living under the bondage that Satan brings with this type of deception.
I’ve got good news for you: a child who is acting in a rebellious way according to the valid description of O.D.D. has hope to change – in Christ and with biblical parenting techniques and repentance on the part of the parents and the child. We’ve seen change occur many times in our little ministry…by God’s grace! God alone does the changing!
-Mark (I would have been diagnosed with oppositional defiance disorder in my lifetime; just ask my parents! But by God’s grace, no more though I do struggle with a rebellious attitude at times in my life now)