A Little History 

Back on January 27, 2025, I posted 50 Biblical Counseling Resources on Trauma and Trauma Care. These resources were from biblical groups (CCEF, ACBC, BCC, ABC, BCUK), biblical counseling publications (The Journal of Biblical Counseling, The Journal of Biblical Soul Care), biblical counseling seminaries (MBTS, TMU, SEBTS, FBS, SBTS), and biblical counseling publishers (NGP, P&R, Shepherd Press, Harvest House). Among those materials, I shared the following resource:

Diane Langberg, Suffering and the Heart of God: How Trauma Destroys and Christ Restores Though she would not describe herself as a biblical counselor, this is an important Christian resource for biblical counselors to engage with. Here is the book description by New Growth Press: “Dr. Langberg calls all of those who wish to help sufferers to model Jesus’s sacrificial love and care in how they listen, love, and guide. The heart of God is revealed to sufferers as they grow to understand the cross of Christ and how their God came to this earth and experienced such severe suffering that he too is ‘well-acquainted with grief.’ The cross of Christ is the lens that transforms and redeems traumatic suffering and its aftermath, not only for the sufferer, but it also transforms those who walk with the suffering.”

That very day, Sean Perron outed me as a fake biblical counselor.

“There is no better example of why we wrote a ‘Call to Clarity’ than this post [by Bob Kellemen]. The confusion here is deep and wide. To label many of these resources as “biblical counseling” demonstrates a fundamentally different definition of the term. It is a strange stew of Christian psychology, biblical counseling, and integration. The only common denominator is that the books are written by Christians and deal with suffering. Beware of eclectic counseling. Sadly, Bob isn’t a biblical counselor, no matter how much he wants to cling to the title.”

Three days later, I posted, What Is a “Biblical Counseling Resource”? I included the following in my reply:

“Sean Perron has moved the target from common grace to saving grace. 

Common Grace: Since May 2024, Sean Perron and Heath Lambert have been saying that SEBTS biblical counseling professors are not truly biblical counselors, but in reality zombie-infected false priests, because they use Scripture to assess the potential value to biblical counselors of common grace resources—resources from non-Christians. They claim that these zombie-infected false priests are misunderstanding and misusing the biblical concept of common grace. 

Saving Grace: Now Sean is saying that I am not a biblical counselor because I use the Scriptures to assess the value of resources by brothers and sisters in Christ who are recipients of saving grace—resources from Christians. According to Sean, I am not a biblical counselor because I included among “biblical counseling” resources, materials written by Christians who are not Sean-approved biblical counselors. 

Diane Langberg: For example, Diane Langberg, who does not describe herself as a “biblical counselor,” is a committed Christian—a recipient of saving grace. I included a Langberg resource among my 50 resources. It is a resource published by New Growth Press—a publishing house that publishes 100s of biblical counseling resources. Langberg’s resource was endorsed by CCEF biblical counselor Mike Emlet. Is it a “biblical counseling” resource? I’d say, read Langberg’s book, Suffering and the Heart of God: How Trauma Destroys and Christ Restores, and assess what Langberg actually says in the book. At the very least, it is a valuable resource for biblical counselors, written by a fellow Christian—a recipient of saving grace. What makes a resource a “biblical counseling” resource? John Frame’s writings are highly recommended by many biblical counselors. Frame has publicly written that he does not consider himself a “biblical counselor.” Can Frame write a book and we deem it a “biblical counseling” resource?”

So, I took my own advice: I re-read Langberg’s book, Suffering and the Heart of God. What does Dr. Langberg actually say in this book that caused such as stir?

Who Is Diane Langberg? 

You can learn more about Diane Langberg here. In her bio, Diane highlights “the truth of the Cross of Christ.”

“Of one thing I am certain: unless we are gripped by the truths of the Cross of Christ in our own hearts and lives, the hope and power of the Cross will not pass from us to others. We cannot give what we do not have. May love and obedience to the Son of Man so govern our personal lives that he can through us bring his life to this ruined planet.”

While not claiming the title, “biblical counselor,” Dr. Langberg humbly and wholeheartedly submits to the Lordship of Christ, her Savior, as the foundation of her life and ministry.

What Is Suffering and the Heart of God? 

Here’s the full bibliography (notice especially the subtitle): 

Langberg, Diane. Suffering and the Heart of God: How Trauma Destroys and Christ Restores. Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2015.

Many of the chapters in this book were “originally talks given to God’s caregivers around the world” (1). Langberg describes her ministry in life and in this book in redemptive terms.

“The Redeemer has been in the room pursuing and changing shattered lives. That Redeemer has also been in the room continually working his likeness more deeply in me” (1).

As she writes to fellow Christians who minister to the suffering, Langberg is clear about her goal:

“It is my deepest hope that the suffering of others will open your eyes to the Suffering Servant who came in the flesh to explain the Father to lost and trampled humans and who, as you care for others, longs to teach you more about who he is and how he desires to transform your heart and life so that you bear the fragrance of Christ wherever you go” (2).

With this Christ-centered introduction in mind, here’s a summary of consistent themes in Suffering and the Heart of God.

Biblical Counseling Theme #1: The Absolute Centrality of Christ 

Time after time, Langberg points her readers to solus Christus—Christ alone. Some samplers:

“Our first call is to a Person. To love and obedience to Jesus Christ, no matter the costs” (9).

“First and foremost it means that our roots must go deep into Christ” (63).

“We are called into the places of darkness and death because that is where he went. He opened his public ministry with these beautiful words from Isaiah 61:1-3….” (69).

Where does Langberg put her hope?

“Finally, we will never for a moment forget that the most precious truth of all time and eternity is that there is a Redeemer” (46).

“Christ is the power.” Counselors must “recognize that tools are not the power. He is the resurrection and the life. The power is of him, and I am not to confuse my work with his” (76).

What is our calling?

“Jesus Christ has called us to follow him into the fellowship of his sufferings” (61).

We are called “to follow in the footsteps of our Lord” (61).

Biblical Counseling Theme #2: The Authority of Scripture

Consistently, Dr. Langberg points her readers to sola scriptura—Scripture alone. Here are some samplers.

Langberg grounds trauma care in:

• The life and ministry of Christ, especially in His incarnation (John 1) (7-10).
• God’s command in Micah where God nouthetically confronts His people for failing to “do justice” (Micah 6:1-8) (13-14).
• In Jesus’s teaching that what we do to “the least of these” reflects our relationship to Him (Matthew 25) (15-16).
• In Isaiah 1:17 and God’s command that we “reprove the ruthless” (18).
• In 1 John 3:17 and God’s call on us to love others comprehensively and practically (27).

What does she based her trauma counseling on?

“…his written Word, the Word made flesh, the presence of his Spirit, and the thoughts of saints who have preceded us” (29-30).

Langberg clearly summarizes what equips us for counseling.

“Know God. Know his Word. Be an avid student of that Word. We need to be so permeated by his Word that we learn to think his thoughts” (101).

“As you go into the world of suffering and death, take with you the words of the Crucified One, who calls himself the resurrection and the life. Hate what he hates, not just in this world but in yourselves as well” (119).

Let’s examine a specific example. Chapter 8 is entitled “Shame and Trauma.” From where does Langberg develop her model of shame? From the Bible. From 2 Samuel 13 and the Bible’s explicit discussions of the shame Tamar experienced. “Where could I carry my shame?” (2 Samuel 13:13) (123). Discussing the impact of shame, Langberg focuses on Genesis 3:7 (125). In examining responses to shame, Langberg outlines descriptive research, and then moves from descriptive research to prescriptive biblical wisdom from Genesis 3; Psalm 3; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3; and other scriptural passages and theological principles.

Biblical Counseling Theme #3: Evil and Sin

Langberg focuses on sin and nouthetically confronts those who do not focus on sin, sounding much like Jay Adams!

“It is striking how little the Christian counseling world speaks of evil. It is certainly not discussed in the realm of psychology, with few exceptions such as O. Hobart Mower and Karl Menninger. In Christian circles we speak more of individual sin but not so much about evil and even less about systems perpetrating evil on vulnerable people. However, underlying all trauma, violence, and abuse lies evil, and the result of evil is always some kind of suffering” (29).

What is the core problem in life? Evil and sin. “Let us look more specifically at evil and sin” (35). She then devotes the next five pages to exegeting and applying 1 Peter 5:8 on Satan seeking someone to devour—the satanic evil of abuse. Then she spends another nine pages on sin—not simply as something we do, but something we are, including quoting Cornelius Plantinga on Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be. She then summarizes:

“I have been struck by the fact that the Christian community does not talk about sin very much, or if it does it often seems to do so in a naïve and superficial way” (41).

Even while focused on care for those who suffer, Langberg focuses on our own awareness of our own sinfulness.

“According to the Word of God, sin is the greatest evil. If I am to maintain God’s point of view, then my sin must be viewed from his position of untainted holiness, not from the perspective of another sinner whom I deem to be worse than myself” (90).

Biblical Counseling Theme #4: The Failure of Secular Psychology

Langberg sounds like Jay Adams in assessing the failure of secular psychology to address trauma well:

“Though psychologists and others have offered descriptions of the disease and even palliatives for its lesser forms, they can and have offered no soul cure” (31).

While acknowledging some value in descriptive research, like Adams, she challenges even that,

“It is merely descriptive of the seen. Nothing about the unseen is put forth in the vast majority of psychological literature. If the pathology you are working with is rooted in the unseen, do you think your methods will be curative if you only treated what you can see or describe? It would be equivalent of treating the symptoms of arsenic poisoning without removing the arsenic” (32).

Langberg again sounds like Adams as she nouthetically confronts us for parroting secular thinking.

“The second thing we have done is unthinkingly echo the secular psychological or counseling community” (34).

She then gives as an example, “low self-esteem.”

“The Christian world dutifully followed along and swallowed these statements. If you look through popular Christian books you will find many laced through with or founded on this teaching. There is a problem with it: it is not true” (34).

Biblical Counseling Theme #5: A Biblical Theology of Suffering 

Langberg entitles chapter 4, “The Psychology of Suffering.” This is really a theology of suffering—a sufferology. She starts, not with humanity, but with God. She starts with the Father’s compassionate, caring heart—Matthew 10:29, 31 (47).

She outlines the Bible’s teaching on suffering, moving from God’s pristine, good creation, to the fall into sin which leads to suffering—highlighting 1 Peter 4:12 and John 16:33 (55). Then she moves to candor and lament (57-59). Then she moves to the “larger picture” of God’s glory (59).

Biblical Counseling Theme #6: The Goal of Counseling—The Glory of God

While Langberg overflows with compassion for the suffering, relief is not her final goal. Glorifying God in the midst of suffering is our ultimate goal.

“We are to look suffering full in the face, confront it with courage, sit with those who are suffering and minister to them. However, suffering is not to rule our lives. It is not our master. We were created to bring glory to God. Suffering has not altered our purpose. We are to fight against pain and suffering, but that is not our ultimate goal” (59).

Langberg doubles-down on not rescuing or fixing, but on heart transformation and God’s glory.

“When you and I think about bringing the power of his resurrection into the lives of others, I expect we tend to think of ways to ‘make it better.’ We want to help people get away from suffering. We want to make it as if it did not happen. However, when we look at the resurrected Christ, what do we see? Scars. “The victory of Jesus Christ, his kingdom and his glory, come by way of the scars, by weakness, by suffering. Do you hear the hope in that for victims of trauma? Nothing you can do will make it as if that tragedy did not happen. The message of the scars in the resurrected Christ is not that the resurrection takes the suffering away, but rather that the resurrection catches it up into God’s glory” (74).

“Our God will not merely rearrange the broken pieces of trauma. Our God is holding the suffering from the traumas of this world and catching it up into his glory” (75).

Biblical Counseling Theme #7: Utter Dependence Upon the Holy Spirit 

How are we equipped to minister to those who suffer?

“Finally, do not do this work without utter dependence on the Spirit of God. Where else will you find wisdom? How can we think that the life-giving power of the work of Christ crucified will be released into other lives unless we have allowed that cross to do its work in our own lives? You cannot bring life to a place of death unless you walk dependent on the Spirit of God” (101).

In a chapter entitled, “Ten Lessons for Counseling Students,” Langberg includes:

4. “You will be doing God’s work with him. Caring for broken people is not our work” (312).

6. “You can only do God’s work through him, as he does his work in you. We cannot do the work of the Redeemer unless he first does his redemptive work in us” (313).

10. “We must always do this work in utter dependence on the Spirit of God” (316). 

Biblical Counseling Theme #8: Counseling Methodology—Descriptive Research-Aware; Scripture-Based Prescriptive Counseling-Centered

Langberg consistently evidences a comprehensive approach to ministering to those caught in the throes of suffering. In these practical chapters on actual counseling ministry, Langberg provides a theological anthropology where she explores a comprehensive, whole-person response to abuse. She also models a 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 focus on Scripture and soul—offering intense, Christ-like relational involvement in the context of gospel-centered, truth-focused personal ministry.

In several chapters, she addresses specific issues such as trauma, domestic abuse, and sexual abuse. She uses descriptive research and case wisdom to offer a beginning understanding of each issue. Langberg then uses biblical principles for prescriptive care—such as truth telling, grief, lament, exploring spiritual questions, biblically examining one’s view of God, moving toward the goal of glorifying God and serving others, confronting abusers and exposing their sin to promote repentance. It is fair to say that:

Langberg’s methodology chapters move from descriptive observations to scriptural perspective, from descriptive research to Scripture-based prescriptive counseling.

Building upon this biblical/theological foundation, Langberg also builds upon church history, in particular, the Reformed theology of common grace. She quotes Calvin’s famous words about common grace as the theological foundation for her using God’s Word to assess extra-biblical sources.

“Whenever we come upon these matters in secular writers, let that admirable light of truth shining in them teach us that the mind of man, though fallen and perverted from its wholeness, is nevertheless clothed and ornamented with God’s excellent gifts. If we regard the Spirit of God as the sole fountain of truth, we shall neither reject the truth itself, nor despise it wherever it shall appear, unless we wish to dishonor the Spirit of God…. These men whom Scripture call ‘natural men’ were, indeed, sharp and penetrating in their investigation of inferior things. Le us, accordingly, learn by their example how many gifts the lord left to human nature even after it was despoiled of its true good” (33-34).

These practical chapters are possibly where some biblical counselors might take issue with some of Langberg’s approach. Would I spend as much time as Langberg did on outlining the descriptive research? Probably not. However, any fair reading of Langberg’s book will observe that her final authority is not secular research but special revelation. See above for where Langberg clearly and consistently nouthetically confronts the failures of secular psychology and the limits of descriptive research. And see in these methodology chapters where the Bible is her final authority.

In Summary 

Is Diane Langberg a biblical counselor? She never claims to be. I am not claiming that she is.

Would I address suffering and abuse exactly as Langberg does? No. Nor would I address them exactly like Perron would. If you want to see how I address suffering and abuse, see some of my works, such as any of my three books on grief, or my booklet on sexual abuse counseling.

Could I critique Langberg’s approach in this book at any point? Sure. I can also critique my own writings! Could I demonstrate differences between Langberg’s approach and my approach. Of course.

Here’s the important question:

Is Diane Langberg’s book, Suffering and the Heart of God, a “biblical counseling resource.”

Well, read her book. See for yourself. See if you see themes such as:

• The Absolute Centrality of Christ
• The Authority of Scripture
• Evil and Sin
• The Failure of Secular Psychology
• A Biblical Theology of Suffering
• The Goal of Counseling: The Glory of God
• Utter Dependence Upon the Holy Spirit
• Counseling Methodology: Descriptive Research-Aware; Scripture-Based Prescriptive Counseling-Centered

Perhaps after you read Suffering and the Heart of God, you might be more comfortable saying it is “a resource that biblical counselors could read and engage with.” That’s fine, too. Given my reading of the book, I remain comfortable listing it among 49 other “biblical counseling resources” for trauma care. If Sean wants to call those 50 resources “a strange stew” that’s his non-inspired opinion. I’m more inclined to agree with Mike Emlet’s endorsement of Suffering and the Heart of God.

“Diane Langberg brings to these moving essays decades of experience working with trauma survivors in the United States and abroad. This is no arms-length reflection on the nature of human suffering. Throughout, she repeatedly points her readers to Jesus Christ, the Suffering Servant, who is the only hope for victim and perpetrator alike—and for the counselor who desires to be used by God to make a difference amidst terrible brokenness and sin.” (Mike Emlet, MDiv, MD, CCEF Faculty and Counselor; author of CrossTalk: Where Life and Scripture Meet)