What is Life Coaching and how does it fit within the Christian faith?
Life Coaching helps a person move forward, navigate change, and work toward fulfillment of a vision in any area of her life.
If we think about the sanctification process, for example, God continues to grow us throughout our faith journey. He doesn’t leave us stagnant. He is living water, moving and engaging.
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.—2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV
God wants us to continue to evolve.
Life Coaching is one tool God has provided to help Christians learn and grow in their ability to explore the potential He placed within us. As we are transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit and the change process, we begin to reflect more and more of God’s glory. We are fulfilling our divine purpose He predetermined for each of us.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.—Ephesians 2:10 NIV
As Christians we understand that, yes, God wants us to fulfill our potential. However, our purpose is also to benefit the body of believers.
As believers we are given spiritual gifts and it is our responsibility to steward them well. How has God gifted you? How does God desire you use those gifts? Life Coaching is an excellent way to explore answers to those questions.
Effective Life Coaching helps clients gain awareness, look toward the future, develop strategies and actions, and anticipate potential obstacles so that stumbling blocks are removed in advance.
As your Life Coach some of my primary responsibilities are to:
- Ask thought-provoking questions to bring awareness
- Engage in active listening
- Encourage and celebrate your milestones and achievements
- Hold you accountable to your goals and objectives
- Brainstorm when appropriate to help you find solutions
- Pray for you
It’s also helpful to discuss what Life Coaching is not.
Each of the functions below contributes to a person’s development. However, they serve different, valued purposes.
Life Coaching is not counseling. Christian Counseling is a helpful tool for those needing emotional healing.* Prior to entering a coaching engagement, it is best to evaluate: do you need healing from past experiences, or are you in a position where you are ready and able to move forward? Life Coaching assumes the person being coached is emotionally healthy and able to engage in the forward-thinking change process.
Life Coaching is not consulting. A consultant is an expert in a given category who offers advice and counsel in their area of expertise. Life Coaches are not offering advice. They are asking thought-provoking questions to help draw answers from the client to bring awareness and change.
There may be times when we engage in an agreement where I act in a dual role of coach and consultant in areas where I have specific expertise. For example, I may act in a dual coaching / consultative role for writers, sales professionals, spiritual development, and business development ventures.
Life Coaching is not spiritual discipleship. In Christian Life Coaching we will use Scripture and prayer (with permission), but we are looking at many areas of life beyond faith and spiritual disciplines. Faith is a category among many categories potentially discussed in Life Coaching. With that being said, I am clear with clients that I am Christian and I follow biblical principles. My values are derived as a result of my faith and drive my behavior and decisions.
Hopefully, understanding the differences better defines what Life Coaching is, so you can determine if it will be helpful to your personal growth and development in this season.
What are areas where Life Coaching is helpful?
As we travel life’s journey, every piece interconnects and plays a significant role in whom we are becoming. We don’t “arrive” at our destination overnight. And if we forget to pack our fitness or finance categories, for example, we won’t be able to effectively carry out our work and family responsibilities.
There’s a tension of give and take as we evaluate where we are in each area of life—every category important. Each one shapes us and intersects another.
A healthy and fruitful life requires regular recalibration. Where are we giving more than we should? Where should we invest more of ourselves?
Any one of these life categories may be an area God desires us to focus on for a season. Perhaps we have neglected the importance of our health, and now we need to focus on building our strength in that area. Or perhaps we need to work on our relationship with God which will help our relationships with others. We all have areas in our lives where we can learn and grow.
It’s important each aspect of life is well balanced. The abundant life God calls us to requires we evaluate each area of life. Otherwise, any one category could dominate and jeopardize our identity, calling, or ability to enjoy life if we allow it to consume. Living a well-balanced life leads to “idol free” pursuit of Christ’s purposes for our life.
Where is God asking you to invest in yourself?
- Your Relationship With God
- Your Marriage
- Family Dynamics
- Career Development
- Finances
- Friendships & Community
- Health & Fitness
- Rest & Relaxation
- Personal & Spiritual Development
- Your Living Environment
Life Coaching can help clients in the well-balanced pursuit of being their best as we embrace the process of being perfected by Christ for every worthy endeavor He calls us to.
Summit Steps Coaching, helping God’s daughters step into their destiny.™
* If you live in Northern Illinois and would like a Christian counseling referral, I would be happy to refer you to trusted Christian Counselors in my network. (Send me a message via my “contact me” page.)
* Your local church may also have Christian Counseling recommendations.
* The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) is another excellent counseling referral source.
