Each day, we’re faced with decisions that need to be made. Yet, some decisions are more significant than others. For example, deciding which clothes to wear doesn’t bear the same weight as making a career choice.
Coaching clients often come to us feeling stuck and confused when they have decisions to make that are important to them. As a Christian Coach, you have skills and tools to share with your clients to help them make confident decisions for their lives.
One powerful tool to assist your clients with clarity and feeling “unstuck” is helping them discover their core values.
What Are Core Values?
In his book Christian Coaching, Gary R. Collins defines core values this way, “Values are foundational beliefs that anchor our lives, the things that matter to us the most, the nonnegotiable characteristics that best describe who we are.”
We’re at peace when we function within our core values. And the opposite is also true; we aren’t at peace when we live outside our core values. It feels incongruent.
Living outside of our core values is a peace-stealer.
There are hundreds of core values, but it’s best to identify the top five. Core values can include things like:
· Compassion
· Excellence
· Faith
· Family
· Honesty
· Integrity
· Learning
· Love
· Loyalty
· Mentoring
· Nurturing
· Trust
Why Are Core Values Important in Christian Coaching?
Because God has created each of us uniquely, we all have distinctive core values that drive our beliefs and decision-making. When you help your clients clearly identify their core values, it’s like offering them a spiritual anchor that stabilizes them. They transform from floating along directionless to being secure.
Consider King David in Psalm 16:8. He says, “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
David’s anchor – his core value – is to keep his eyes always on the Lord. Of course, we know this also is a Biblical truth! But David knows and believes that he will not be shaken by life’s ups and downs when he lives in alignment with that core value/truth.
Similarly, our clients can experience peace when making decisions about their lives that line up with their core values. Here’s an example:
Your client feels anxious because she received two great job offers but feels torn about which one to accept. She tells you she’s prayed about it repeatedly but doesn’t sense a clear direction from the Lord. As a result, she’s panicking because she doesn’t want to make the “wrong” choice.
In addition to reminding her that the Lord can bless either choice she makes because they are both great options, you circle back to her core values.
After reflection and discussion, she confidently chooses to accept the job offer at a floral shop closer to home. Why? Because that job offer more closely aligns with her top core values, including family, creativity, and beauty.
Knowing their core values allows your clients to move from anxiousness to inner peace!
If you would like to learn more, contact us at Center for Christian Coaching!
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