A Diagnosis on One's Existence

Part of being human involves coming up with a diagnosis on one`s existence. There is no person who can claim to be free from sin, however, it is possible for people to make positive changes in their lives. The current case study involving Lois seeks to undertake the same steps in analyzing the issues she is facing and establishing some of the ways that can enable her to engender better results especially when dealing with others. Also, by coming up with a resolve meant to assist her, it is possible that Lois can manage to overcome the weaknesses that she may possess and turn them into positives. The examination conducted on Lois was meant to help her see herself in God`s light as well as assist her in viewing herself in a positive light. 

Six Box Chart
Situational Heat and Dew
Heat (Past, Present, Future)  Lois has experienced strained relationships with people in her family and also those that she was intimately involved with.  Presently, she has managed to control her negative emotions.  In future, it is possible for Lois to fully manage her anger, emotional volatility as well as other negative feelings she is accustomed to experiencing.	Dew  Believing in God as the sovereign master of all things is the first step towards realizing control in a person`s life. A believer like Lois is bound to face many personal struggles and is also likely to lose her trust in Him, however, these trials and tribulations are set to pass. There is a critical need for her to trust in God`s intervention by ensuring she follows His teachings.

2 Bad Fruit (Sinful Words, Actions, Emotions)  Blasphemy against the holy spirit is deemed to be the vilest sin. It is a sin which cannot be forgiven by God. Forgiveness can, however, be bestowed upon other sins.  The bad fruit resulting from the study involves the following:  Presumption: Lois wanting to obtain forgiveness without repenting.  Resisting to the widely acclaimed truth.  Impenitence, where she appears to have a reason not to repent.  Obstinacy, where Lois is clinging to sin without the realization that the good which can be found in it is quite minimal.  Despair, which is which Lois` current state which she is experiencing by holding on to the belief that her sinfulness is greater than divine goodness and appearing unworthy of being forgiven.

6 Good Fruit (Godly Words, Actions, Emotions)  It is possible to observe that Lois lacks some of the Good Fruit, which makes it difficult for her to relate with others. Some of the envisioned good fruit which are clearly lacking involve:  Patience: Lois is easily irritated especially when talking to her boyfriend Willie.  Joy: She is not experiencing the depth of happiness required from a Christian.  Kindness: Lois` terror of rejection leads her to act callously towards Willie despite knowing that he loves her and is fully committed to their relationship.  Peace: She holds the belief that God does not love her.  Gentleness: She at times acts irrationally against Willie.  Self-control: Lois easily loses her temper and then asks for forgiveness.

3 Bad Roots (Sinful Beliefs, Motives)  They involve:  Self-centeredness: Lois` unwillingness to let in other people into her life. She Distances herself from her father, brother and boyfriend Willie.  Pride: The unwillingness to express one`s regret which can be established from the case study.  Disobedience: Lois sins and is unwilling to seek forgivenmess for her misdeeds.

5 Good Roots (Godly Beliefs, Motives)  Some of the good roots that can be envisioned are:  Compassionateness: Lois sympathy towards the torment experienced by Willie when she`s angry.  Belief in God: Lois ought to constantly uphold her faith.  Hope: Christianity mandates that optimism is maintained even in the face of adversity.

 4 God’s Provisions in Christ, Applied by God’s Spirit, Revealed in Scripture  God`s steadfast love endures forever. Regardless of the sinful nature of humans, God is willing to forgive them each time and offer them another opportunity to change their ways. He speaks through the scriptures, seeking to warn, encourage, command and encourage humans. By following His teachings, it is possible for Lois to find everlasting peace and fulfilment.

Action plan 

Step 1: Not regretting her past mistakes. It is important for Lois to move ahead and veer away from the mistakes she might have committed in the past. God is aware of the struggles one undergoes and is also conscious that growth is a continuous process (Underhill, 2018). Lois should, therefore, not think that God has turned His back on her, and should be fully aware that He is always ready to forgive her mistakes. She should pray constantly and seek to avoid the near occasions to sin. 

Step 2: Embrace faith and hope. In order to fully cope with the challenges facing her, Lois is supposed to comprehend that she has been gifted with grace which supersedes her transgressions. When Jesus died on the cross the yoke of sin over man was broken and as a result, Lois ought not to live under its control ( Jones, 2012 ). Even in the event that she still finds herself committing the same mistakes, she should be confident that God is going to free her from the bondage of sin. 

Step 3: Examining her fruit. Lois has a responsibility of evaluating her life to determine the kind of lifestyle she engenders. It is possible for her to do this by constantly recapitulating the occurrences of a predetermined period of time such as events occurring within a week ( Emlet, 2017 ). The activity will enable her to examine her harvest of both the good and bad fruit, therefore, sensitizing her on what she ought to change. Later on, she can seek to convert the bad fruits into good ones. 

Step 4: Exposing her roots. It is not enough for Lois to examine her harvest rather, one issue of primary concern involves having the humility to admit wrong doing. She should not be content with superficial behavior modification, such as fully contending with the idea of not going for counselling because she feels that she will still commit the same mistakes ( Jones, 2013 ). Instead, she should acknowledge her mistakes and seek for advice. 

Step 5: Choosing her words and actions. In most cases, Lois tends to get angry very fast and ends up uttering words that she ends up regretting. She is supposed to seek to become intentional instead of being reactive ( Lane & Tripp, 2008 ). This can be achieved by thinking and praying before saying anything. This is the only way that God can offer her the grace to choose her words wisely and save her from guilt. 

Step 6: Confessing her Weakness when praying to God. God accepts sinners and cleanses their iniquities as a result of their admission of guilt. Delusions of personal strength and holiness do not play a role in bringing people closer to God (Underhill, 2018). Lois has to learn that God derives pleasure from meeting individuals in their weakness through his prevailing Grace. 

Counseling Goals 

Based on the scenario presented it is important to consider some objectives that ought to be achieved. One such goal involves initiating behavior change. Lois is facing a lot of challenges in trying to alter her behavior especially since she is easily infuriated. The second goal involves enhancing her ability to create and also maintain relationships. The case presented reveals that Lois has not been successful in maintaining the relationships she had mostly due to the fear of being rejected. She became pregnant early and after being divorced, she has not managed to settle down with anyone. It is of great importance that she does not ruin the current relationship she has with Willie since from what she has revealed, she is certain that he is her soulmate. The third goal, involves enhancing the client`s decision making process by elevating their potential to handle conflicts. Currently, she is grappling with the idea of going for counselling but Willie is unwilling. As a result, it is important that an alternative mechanism is established so that it can be possible for them to handle the dispute between them. The final goal will be to encourage her to love herself. It is impossible for one to appreciate others if they do not love themselves. 

Steps in Ministering 

While ministering to Lois, it is fundamental that the truth is revealed to her. Since human beings are sinners, it is possible for them to act sinfully towards others ( Pierre & Reju, 2015 ). Besides, some measure of interpersonal conflict between them and the church is also bound to arise. In this first step, Lois has to be shown how she might have fallen short of God`s glory. The second step in mentoring her would involve revealing what the scriptures indicate about such conflicts. This is likely to result into a personal reflection and establish resoluteness in avoiding occasions that are likely to lead to conflict ( Tripp, 2002 ). Ministering to her on how to put sin to death would further be essential in enabling Lois to resolve any personal issues she has. The Bible is opened and a scripture quoted showing why it is important to show steadfastness in avoiding sin (Russell, 2010). Also, in the same process, one can implore on Lois to memorize the passage, since each time she is about to do something it is possible that her conscious mind will remind her that the action she is about to take is wrong. In the book of Romans, the issue of strong and weak disputes often arises, and it is mentioned that ministering the essence of fostering unity is important especially for Christians (Rizzuto, 2011). Rather than personalizing the issue, one cast the net wider by referring to other similar conflicts that may have arisen and how they were resolved so that Lois can have hope that she is likely to get adequate assistance. 

Methods in ministering to Lois 

Finally, since Willie is reluctant to go for counselling, alternatives means of ministering to the couple can be resulted to. For example, they can be offered self-help Christian books which contain vital information that may assist them to cope with the conflict they are experiencing. Peer support may also work effectively, where a couple facing similar experiences such as those they are encountering is engaged ( Powlison, 2007 ). Lois can get to understand that the challenges she is struggling with are not personal, and that others have encountered them and as a result, she will become hopeful that at one point she will overcome her weaknesses. She can also be encouraged to engage in more outdoor activities with Willie that will enable her to appreciate the real essence of relationships. Furthermore, maintaining a close relationship with God will certainly ensure that Lois manages to overcome any challenges that she might experience. 

References  

Emlet, M. R. (2017).  Descriptions and prescriptions: A biblical perspective on psychiatric diagnoses and medications . 

Jones, R. D. (2012).  Pursuing peace: A Christian guide to handling our conflicts . Wheaton, Ill: Crossway. 

Jones, R. D. (2013).  When trouble shows up: Seeing God's transforming love . 

Lane, T. S., & Tripp, P. D. (2008).  How people change . 

Pierre, J., & Reju, D. (2015).  The pastor and counseling: The basics of shepherding members in need . 

Powlison, D. (2007). Cure of souls (and the modern psychotherapies).  The Journal of Biblical Counseling ,  5 , 14. 

Rizzuto, A. M. (2011).  Birth of the living God: A psychoanalytic study . University of Chicago Press. 

Russell, P. (2010).  From Science to God: A Physicist s Journey into the Mystery of Consciousness . New World Library. 

Tripp, P. D. (2002).  Instruments in the Redeemer's hands: People in need of change helping people in need of change . Phillipsburg, N.J: P & R Pub. 

Underhill, E. (2018).  Mysticism: A study of the nature and development of man's spiritual consciousness . E-artnow.