Scott Stephens is the counseling pastor at West End Baptist Church’s West End Counseling Center, a board member of Redeemer Biblical Counseling Training Institute, and a PhD student in the Biblical Counseling Program at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. To find out more about our counseling center (WECC), please call the church at 864-232-7312.
Self-help books are everywhere; even Christian bookstores have shelves packed with them. These books claim to provide guidance on just about every topic imaginable. However, not all books labeled as “Christian” are what they claim to be.
When you are reading books about marriage, parenting, family, and relationships (really any topic), it is essential to determine if the advice you are receiving is biblical. Just because the book is sold in a religious bookstore does not mean that the information you will read is helpful and, more importantly, based on principles found in the Bible.
The problem with many self-help books is that they are just that: self-help. Their primary focus is to guide you to what you can do to solve your problem. In many of these books, there is little, if any, reference to Scriptural principles. The book may make some good observations and give advice that might be applicable, but it is not complete for the Christian. When a book that is written to help you live your “best life” fails to consider mankind’s fallen nature and its results, the guidance it gives should be considered suspect. Advice given from a secular or cultural perspective must be weighed with the truths of Scripture, as it may lead us astray if we do otherwise. We know that Scripture encourages us to seek God in everything, not worrying but praying and relying on Him for help (Matt 6:33; Phil 4:6-7). Discernment provided by the Holy Spirit is a powerful tool that can empower you to distinguish between true biblical advice and mere self-help.
While you are reading anything, be a good Berean, particularly when the topic advises you on interacting or having a relationship with others. The Jews from Berea were eager to hear messages from God’s Word, and when they heard Paul and Silas teach, they immediately referenced Scripture to ensure that what was said was true (Acts 17:10-12). They validated the truthfulness of everything they were told.
The truth is that most of life’s issues require our reliance on God and His Word. As Christians, He provides guidance for many of life’s circumstances in His precepts. This reliance on God’s Word should reassure you and guide you through life’s challenges, steering you away from worldly or cultural advice that may sound good but lack the depth of God’s wisdom.
Here is some wisdom we should all take to heart:
Corinthians 3:19: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.”
Proverbs 1:32-33: “Fools die because they refuse to follow wisdom. They are content to follow their foolish ways, and that will destroy them. But those who listen to me will live in safety and comfort. They will have nothing to fear.”
Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
Remember, some books may provide seemingly helpful and applicable guidance, but everything should be validated by the truth God provides in His word. Most certainly, you will find that most of the advice you get will not be as helpful as the guidance that He provides.
