Four-Circle Reflection and the Local Church

2001-05-29

Introduction

People are personal, rational, volitional and emotional: these are the four circles that are to be examined when exploring the human psyche. Larry Crabb (1987) states that there is an innate need for relationship and impact in the personal circle (Crabb 110). He also investigates two parts of the rational circle as the images of what we perceive in reality, and also the resulting beliefs from these perceptions. Humankind’s perceptions of reality and what reality actually is often are diametric opposites. The world today changes so quickly that it is difficult to keep up with it. A Spirit-guided look inward is imperative in our journeys with God.

Before there can be any more study on particular cases, there needs to be a systematic investigation of the framework that Larry Crabb puts forth in Understanding People. Since people are in the image of God, they possess many qualities that God does: 1) they deeply long for something personal, 2) they rationally evaluate what happens, 3) they willfully pursue a chosen direction, and 4) they experience their world emotionally (p. 95).

The Personal Circle

First, Crabb turns to the problem of denial. It is a problem that people deny and avoid their problems, because the Scriptures do not teach such denial (p.102). This is important if anyone is going to learn from their own problems, and to learn dependency on God. Crabb writes, “Biblical counseling involves an uncovering of what has been deeply hidden for the purpose of promoting dependency” (p. 103). This examination is also necessary for spiritual growth. In our fallen state, it is hard for us to critically examine ourselves in such a way, and to admit dependency on God.

Crabb writes that our innermost being, which he calls the Hollow Core, longs for satisfaction that will either lead us to humble ourselves before Christ or to try to rely on our own resources (p. 107). We also have “thirsty souls” that long for both relationship and impact. In the personal circle, there is a void that needs to be filled. It can be either filled legitimately (according to godly motivation) or illegitimately (according to our own foolishness) (p. 115).

Crabb also describes three types of longings. First, there are the casual longings, which are desires for convenience, comfort, and personal preference (p. 119). Deeper in our core, there are the critical longings, which are the “legitimate hopes for deep human relationships and for visible impact on our worlds” (p. 119). Crucial longings, according to Crabb, “are the deep thirsts of our inmost being” (p. 119).

The Rational Circle

Crabb describes people as rational beings; they think. Before he goes into more details, he describes what healthy people look like, and then explains the need to understand the vast depth of sin. He expands the idea of sin beyond just behavioral sin. A person’s natural inclination to sin is entwined into the depth of his or her core. This deep sin nature is rooted into our unconscious beliefs, which affects the things we do. Crabb also says “the greatest obstacle to grasping what biblical counseling is all about is a weak and shallow view of sin” (p. 127). To experience real change from this mindset we have, we must “move into the confusing realm of a darkened mind and learn what it means to let the Spirit of God renew us in our essential thinking” (p. 129).

A common belief of fallen humankind is the belief in the lie that we can live independently from God. We have certain images and perceptions that lead to certain beliefs that “guide us in handling the world that we image” (p. 135). As a result, we are victims of sin; we have a distorted view of the reality of our dependence. More importantly, however, we are agents of sin, responsible for our actions before God. Therefore, Crabb puts repentance at the center of healing, for all personal problems are a result from a broken relationship with God (p. 123).

The Volitional Circle

People are required to make decisions, which are often very difficult. For fallen people, confusion is a terrible thing, since we want to be in control, but cannot be. People also are purposeful and goal-oriented, and all of our behavior is moving toward a particular goal (p.159). To choose a goal and then to choose the behavioral method of obtaining that goal is our volitional capacity (p. 159).

However, these choices do not always seem to be choices. Behavior will seem like a choice only when a goal is recognized, and the root of this choice is to either trust God for fulfillment or rely on one’s own capacity (p. 167). Confusion is natural to people, Crabb concludes, but this confusion emphasizes that people must rely on God, which allows people to enjoy their freedom to choose (p. 170).

The Emotional Circle

Crabb addresses three questions on emotions: what is the source of them, what is the usefulness of them, and how should we handle them (p. 172). First, he shows that emotions are the reactions of our surrounding environment. Emotions can either be pleasant or unpleasant, and either of these emotions can be what are called constructive or destructive emotions. People experience pleasant and unpleasant things. Depending if a person uses wisdom or not in responding to an emotion, the outcome can be beneficial to the growth of people.

From these emotions, people will learn more about themselves and the motives of their hearts. From self-examination, people can find the foolishness that indwells them. Crabb notes that “attending to our destructive emotions can lead us to new dimensions of repentance.” Finally people should openly express emotions appropriately, without denying them, but sharing them without fear and with a “commitment to loving others” (Crabb 187).

Application to the Local Church

In Hebrews 10:24-25, it says: “let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Relationship in the local church is integral to spiritual growth. Dittman notes, “the local church with its network of shepherding elders and one-anothering friendships, along with its biblical teaching and opportunities for worship, is an indispensable part of equipping, healing, and maturing.”

The experience in the local church is can be contrary to this. The results can be disastrous and nauseating. In Dittman’s experience as a pastor, where he was limited on what types of ministry he was allowed, he saw some parishioners become self-righteous Pharisees, while others seek help outside the church with their personal issues with counseling specialists or groups. If someone voiced a struggle they were facing, the message was that they were not trusting Christ enough.

People are going outside the local church to fill the voids they have and to seek the struggles they face. Though people might seem that they “have it together,” have everything in life figured out, and do not struggle, this is just a façade. All people struggle with pain, all people struggle with sin, and all people have the same basic longings, as I have quoted Crabb, relationship and impact. As it is said in A Deeper Look at Ourselves, “People don’t want to feel pain and will do almost anything to nullify it.” To hide pain and avoid more future pain, people develop self-protecting strategies, which may materialize in anything from anger to withdrawal. However, the article also notes, such strategies are harmful and stagnate spiritual growth.

Nonetheless, we must be dependent on God. We were designed to be dependent on Him (Proverbs 3:5). It is much easier to say “be dependent on God” than it is to actually do it. Nonetheless, we need to learn to trust Him and not hide from Him, because He is the only one that can make things right in our lives. Dittman talks about Biblical equipping of the Saints (Ephesians 4:11-13) being much more than “transferring knowledge and more than an exhorational program of motivational accountability.” He states that it is “a therapeutic process that brings healing and mending to the personally discouraged and relationally disconnected.” Dittman also explains Paul’s method in Colossians 1:28-2:3:

1. People need to be encouraged in heart: where the Spirit of God uses two tools to deal with heart issues, God’s word and God’s people
2. People need to be united in love

In the local church, we need to rethink who we are. We are sinners, saved by grace, that still struggle with sin and pain in our lives. To grow in our walk with God, we must be honest with ourselves, but also with other believers. When we look at ourselves, we need to do so through the four circles that Crabb describes. We need to ask ourselves questions that will bring us to the core heart issues: What are our longings? What do we want? How do we feel, and how do we respond to our emotions? This process, though we can effectively examine ourselves, as mentioned above we oftentimes perceive reality differently from what we ought. We need a community of believers to walk us through this process. As it is written,

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

And again,

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12).

When in a community of believers who are honest with one another and themselves, people can expect to grow in the Lord and seek true guidance through their pain, struggles, and sins. I want to encourage you that if you are struggling with any such things, there is nothing abnormal about you. If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are in very good hands. First, you need to trust Him in everything and not in your own methods. One must examine one’s own life in prayer and meditation. As important as this is, however, you also need a Biblical community where people can come along side you and help you, and that you might come along side them and help them. This is why Jesus stressed in John 15 that His disciples must abide in Him, which is to say, His disciples must keep His commandment of loving each other, as He loved them.

References

Crabb, Larry. (1987). Understanding People: Deep Longings for Relationship. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Dittman, Michael C. (1999). Counseling and Community. Reprinted from the Spring 1999 Issue of Alumni Pathways. Philadelphia College of the Bible.

Seemiller, William. A Deeper Look at Ourselves. Was available online at http://mywebpages.comcast.net/skyblade7/thoughts.htm (No longer available).