A man brought his dog to a counseling session.  The counselor had many clients who did this ...as he really liked dogs.  The client said he had a problem with guilt.  The counselor then proceeded to go through a long discourse on guilt, on how it is unhealthy to allow guilt to run your life.  Finally, after spewing forth all he had learned in getting his professional degree, the counselor paused and asked his client what he felt guilty about.   The man said he felt guilty about kicking his dog.  The counselor asked how long he had been doing this, and the man said, "I've been doing it for three years, ever since I got the dog.  But I've also been kicking the dog for this past hour."  Of course, this had been all done unbeknownst to the rambling counselor. The counselor admits, "As a dog-lover, I have to say I'm quite angry ...but I have to realize you have a problem.  And you've taken the first step in coming to me for help.  I'm going to take the next step, and take your dog from you.  It's my only recourse."  His client replies, "I suppose you should.  I know it's wrong to do what I do."  The man comes back to the counselor the next week and says he still feels guilty.  The counselor is wiser this time, asking, "Why?"  The client says, "Well, last week I felt guilty for continually kicking my dog ...but I still feel guilty."   The counselor asks, "Why, you are no longer kicking the dog.  I took the dog away from you. You didn't get another dog, did you?"  The client simply replies, "No, but I still feel guilty for  having kicked the dog."  The counselor says, "You have to forgive yourself."  The man admits desperately, "I can't!  I feel that if I owned a dog, I would still kick it ...the only reason I've stopped is because you took the dog away."  The counselor says, "Well, you've already admitted you are not good with dogs, so you just have to forgive yourself.  We all have faults and short-comings, and things that we just are not good at.  You just have to forgive yourself!"   The counselor then proceeds to talk the remainder of the hour about the entrapments of guilt.  For the next six months, the troubled man continues to faithfully come to his counseling sessions, and listen to his counselor ...but he cannot resolve his guilt.  But each following week, he faithfully comes in again.  The counselor asks him the same question at the beginning of each session, "How do you feel?"  The man smiles for the first time, "I feel great!"  The counselor, too professional to be thrown by this different answer, asks, "What do you  mean by that ...do you feel guilty anymore?"  The man smiles, "I no longer feel the guilt!" The counselor smiles, relaxing back in his chair, with a sigh of relief, "It has taken longer than I anticipated, but I am happy that you've finally been able to incorporate all that we've been talking about."  The man looks puzzled, but then smiles again, "Sorry, but all that talking that we did ....it didn't help."  Surprised, the counselor asks, "What did help then?"  The man smiles bigger than ever, "I got a job at the Humane Society. I've been working particularly with the animals that have been abused.  I really love animals ...and I've finally ...forgiven my dad."  The counselor asks, "That's wonderful ....simply great!  Am I to assume that your dad kicked the dog too?"  The man simply replies, "No, my dad loves dogs!  He'd never kick a dog ...he kicked me."  Now this seems like a tremendous breakthrough for the counselor.  After the session he takes notes for a possible book he may write, and he most certainly must use this ingenious idea with his next client, a child predator. (Okay, we have to STOP HERE!!!!)   This would bring chills down my spine.  You don't allow a person to work out this sort of problem by exposing (no pun intended) them to more children. They actually did this at one place  I worked ...and I don't know why anyone would ever think of doing something that insane.  I thank God something serious didn't happen ...and they did correct it, after an outcry of reason.  There has to be wise discretion ...never permitting certain things, and permitting others with caution.   There have been some things with measured success ....such as drug counselors who are recovered drug addicts (as long as they are fully recovered, without a tendency to fall back).  And a person who has had an abortion, is often the best testimony to help those realize the emotional healing process ...while at the same time, discouraging others from having an abortion.  Often the best way to be free from the guilt, or emotional torment ...is by helping her get involved in a pro-life movement.  The Apostle Paul did not let the fact that he had persecuted Christians, not that long before, discourage him or get him down.  It did not hamper his work with Christians ...or from enlightening those who were not. God used him greatly!  The Apostle Paul not only realized what he had done wrong, but now he passionately stood against the wrong.