God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)
It is hypocritical to tell a counselee to trust God while you lean on your own skills, effort, and rehearsed Bible knowledge. Sometimes more Bible knowledge only beads up on a hard heart, and prayer is often the only way to furrow the soil so the Word can take root.
Some missionaries bound for Africa were laughed at by the boat captain. “You'll only die over there,” he said. But a missionary replied, “Captain, we died before we started.”
