Carl Rogers was a 20th Century American psychologist who pioneered “Client-Centered Therapy”, sometimes cynically called, “Uh Huh” therapy. Having watched a video of one of his counseling sessions while in a grad school class, I understood the label if not the cynicism. He said very little during the session. Mostly he said, “Uh huh” and nodded when the client said something. The client and her issues dominated the session, not Dr. Rogers and his expertise. Yet you could see and hear the relief in the client’s voice and body language after having talked for an hour or so naming so many troubles and getting them out there.
Dr. Rogers also had 2 years of seminary under his belt when he left to pursue a Master’s and PhD in psychology. His seminary training never completely left him, and, in part, helped shape his methods and counseling, particularly in terms of putting the focus on the client.
I came across a Dr. Rogers quote this past week that seems to be spot on for Lent. Rogers said, “The curious paradox is only when I accept myself as I them, then can I change”. I found this quote in a book about the Holocaust, urging all to come to grips with their role in this so that substantive change in Anti-Semitism could truly occur.
It is, however, a great quote to hold in front of us during Lent, a time of self-examination and repentance. It is one thing to acknowledge we are sinners and quite another to many times name those sins, especially those that work to eat away at the world God created.
Lent is much more than sorrow for sin. Lent is repentance, in the original Greek of the New Testament, metanoia, which means “turning around.” Do you and I discover ourselves turning around in Lent or simply saying, “I’m sorry for being a sinner and for my sinning”? Are we merely trying to return to the good favor of God or working, instead, on becoming a different, new, and perhaps better person?
In Jesus Christ we are already reconciled with God. Repentance is not so we get our piece of the action so we might share in such reconciliation. It is demonstrable sorrow wanting to change and turn around. It is wanting to change and turn around because we have this gift granted in Jesus Christ. Most of us cannot do a “180” on who we are. Yet, I am convinced most all of us can do a “180” on something specific in our sin. What might that specific thing be for you this Lent? For me? What is the biggest challenge before us needing change in how we live and act? What steps are needed for such turning around?
I sometimes picture God as responding to our prayers like Dr. Rogers responds to client statements. Uh huh. Our prayers are most often more necessary for us than for God. God already knows. Uh huh. In prayer we get our anxieties, our frustrations, our fears, and concerns off our chest and hand them off to God. Uh huh. We also express them, name them, and get them out there in front of ourselves realizing what work we ourselves might have to do in these prayer concerns. Uh huh.
I wonder if next Sunday I just read the gospel text, then say “Uh huh”. Would that be sermon enough? Nuh ah. Sermons are about proclaiming, not confessing. Perhaps our best work this Lent would be to accept oneself as one truly is, then letting the work of change begin. Uh huh!