• The General Mental Health Forum is now a Read Only Forum. As we had two large areas making it difficult for many to find, we decided to combine the Mental Health & the Recovery sections of the forum into Mental Health & Recovery as a whole. Physical Health still remains as it's own area within the entire Recovery area.

    If you are having struggles, need support in a particular area that you aren't finding a specific recovery area forum, you may find the General Struggles forum a great place to post. Any any that is related to emotions, self-esteem, insomnia, anger, relationship dynamics due to mental health and recovery and other issues that don't fit better in another forum would be examples of topics that might go there.

    If you have spiritual issues related to a mental health and recovery issue, please use the Recovery Related Spiritual Advice forum. This forum is designed to be like Christian Advice, only for recovery type of issues. Recovery being like a family in many ways, allows us to support one another together. May you be blessed today and each day.

    Kristen.NewCreation and FreeinChrist

Bible Verses On Worry And Anxiety

hutch1cor1013

Newbie
Apr 26, 2013
387
19
✟8,128.00
Faith
Baptist
Marital Status
Single
Bible Verses On Worry And Anxiety

Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Luke 12:24-34

Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Colossians 3:15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

Psalm 55:22

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

Proverbs 12:25

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:6-8

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
 

gracealone

Regular Member
Apr 5, 2007
1,692
120
Michigan
✟18,349.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Republican
All of these scriptures are as dear to me before I became really sick with OCD as they still are after I have learned to manage my disorder. I very much appreciate the comfort of God's love and care for me. But.... I have Pure - O, OCD. It is a valid affliction. This does not mean that I don't have faith or that I am somehow missing the mark in regard to what it means to be a Christian and trust in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What having OCD means is that my brain sends out huge surges of inordinate adrenaline creating an anxiety response to thoughts, ideas and images that another person without OCD would be able to just hear for a second and then push on and let go of. It is not the thought or idea per say that creates the disorder but the misfiring in the brain of a person who is afflicted with an Anxiety disorder which attaches itself to the thoughts. These disorders can and often do begin very early on in life in people who are genetically predisposed to them. If learning scripture and praying were the only thing that a person with an anxiety disorder needed to do in order to get well then it would not be a true disorder. But it is a true disorder.
Learning more scripture and praying doesn't necessarily cure many other illnesses, unless the Lord wills it, but doing so certainly encourages the sufferer. Crying out to God when we are hurting is the most natural thing in the world to those who are His children. A person with OCD who is a Christian needs to hold fast to Christ and to the scriptures that they believe in no matter how bad the anxiety gets. They need to obey Christ to the best of their ability all throughout the struggle. They need to pray for God to help them to persevere and to lean on His strength and trust in His grace IN and through the affliction, but they also need to get educated about their disorder, seek professional help, follow their doctors counsel and put into practice the things which help them to manage their disorder effectively. I don't really see how this is any different than many other illnesses.
I just needed to say this because when people quote scriptures about worry and anxiety to me in regard to my illness, especially scripture that I already know by heart, it will often make me feel as though they don't really believe I have a real illness. It makes me feel like they may think my OCD is nothing more than spiritual weakness or a lack of faith. I don't know whether or not this is the case here or not but I just wanted to clarify that my OCD has not weakened my faith in Christ, it has been the very thing that He has used to teach me about the sufficiency of His grace for my weakness, for my affliction. "For when I am weak. I am strong. I will therefore glory in my affliction in order that the power of Christ may rest more fully upon me." Quote: The apostle Paul
Thanks for considering my concerns. Mitzi
 
Upvote 0

hutch1cor1013

Newbie
Apr 26, 2013
387
19
✟8,128.00
Faith
Baptist
Marital Status
Single
I feel your hurts and struggles as I have the OCD illness also. My faith in God and the medication Anafranil has helped me considerably in my pursuits toward overcoming OCD. In the valleys of fear and doubt you experience in life, realize this: you are not alone! I care, but more importantly, God understands and cares! Just like me, He has a special life purpose for you and your illness (Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 8:28); also, nothing, including our illnesses or what you have or haven't done, will ever separate you (and also me) from God's perfect love! "What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later!" (Romans 8:18)

Taking Anafranil medication has helped me alot with OCD. Developing an ever growing intimate love relationship with God has helped me to experience peace, courage, hope, and self-control in spite of my illness. In addition to all this, what has helped me a lot in my life, is the ever-growing understanding and assurance that "God will provide me an escape route to every trial, temptation, etc. I experience (1 cor 10:13); that God often uses trials (inc. ocd) to build sufficient faith, courage, perseverance, and resistance to OCD obsessions and other fears I experience; and that God will never leave, fail, or forsake me in the process (deut 31:6,9).

Like a father who stands right next to his child, and then steps away from his kid, in order to teach his child how to walk independently, God is right next to us, using "OCD/adversity" small trials, to teach us to how to learn how to overcome, have faith and courage, and to rely upon Him, in our troubles. Like any good father trying to teach his children to ride a bicycle for the first times, God will hold His hands on His children (to keep our balance) until He pushes us a little bit, as we strive to learn independently how to ride a bicycle. When we fall, God will pick us up in His arms and wait for the right moment, to work at teaching us to overcome the fear of failing and falling, through small trials, until we learn how to overcome.

Nobody thought David could kill Goliath, but through the power of God, God conquered the enemy, and David killed the Philistine giant. And in the process, God got the glory, and the whole world could realized then that there is a God out there, and that He can do anything, and that that through David's weakness, God's Almighty power was made evident. I believe that this why God created me and you with OCD - to prove the world that us "David" can through God, overcome the giant called "OCD".

Here are some principles that helped me in my pursuits toward overcoming ocd/ trials :

1) God loves His children unconditionally, and God daily seeks an intimate love relationship with His children. Nothing can ever separate us from God's love (romans 8:38-41)

2) God has plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (jeremiah 29:11-13). Which means, in spite of God giving you OCD, He has plans for good and not for disaster in your life - a special purpose to reveal God's greatness in spite of the trial

3) God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. (romans 8:28)

4) God uses "small trials", and then "bigger ones and bigger ones" to gradually mold our character in learning how to overcome, how to have faith, to have courage, and to rely upon Him.

5) In order to overcome fear (OCD), must be willing to face related fears, or no learning or growth will take place. Thus, in faith, I usually say the following prayer: "Lord, you are the Vine, I am the branches" (which means the source of my power is God and not me), "Make it so I don't let this fear control me. Through your power, make is so I confront my fears, accept (embrace) my obsessions, surrender my fears, postpone thinking about the fear, and finally, to believe in the truth (that I won't commit the obsession, that I believe God will deliver me through the trial.)" see james 1:2-5

6) what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later" (romans 8:18).


7 "That God always provides us an escape route through our trials and temptations" - 1 corinthians 10:13.

8. "IF you have faith as even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there, and it would move. Nothing would be impossible'". matthew 17:20-21 .. "I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me." philippians 4:13

9. "Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall." psalms 55:22 . . "The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those who spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles; but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous, not one of them is broken!" (psalms 34:17-20).

10. "do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you.; He will neither fail you nor abandon you." Deut 31,9 Also see verse 6.

If you want, please go to My Mental Illness Recovery Success Story, to read my ocd, bipolar, abuse overcoming story.
 
Upvote 0

gracealone

Regular Member
Apr 5, 2007
1,692
120
Michigan
✟18,349.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Republican
This is all awesome Hutch, and thank you for sharing. I too have discovered purpose in the affliction of my OCD/Pure O. I am glad that you, in this message point out that it is a real affliction and for many folk meds. and professional help/intervention are part of a multifaceted approach to living with OCD. I too share my experiences with others who are struggling with this disorder as I have been afflicted for most of my life. I am not cured, but my OCD/Pure O does not rob me of my joy and it's actually been a tool that God has used to teach me about His abundant grace IN and through affliction. I have actually written a book about my experiences but it's against the rules for me to mention it or put up a link because this site has rules to protect spammers from abusing it.
The reason I responded to your message like I did is that many Christians w/o OCD will throw scripture at the sufferer and even suggest that if the person had more faith, understood what God's word had to say about worry, or prayed more fervently they would not have OCD. One thing that can be insulting is to preach at a person with OCD and to just assume that they are ignorant of what the scriptures say or have never really grasped what salvation or saved by grace means. I have spoken to some people, Pastors even, who have devoted their entire adult life to studying and understanding God's word and they still became afflicted with OCD. Imagine a Pastor who has a Master's or a doctorate in theology approaching a Christian counselor about their OCD and then getting a little mini sermon about the "sin of worry." Some are even subjected to a mini lesson on salvation that can be as simple as something you might teach to a child in Sunday School. This presumptuous, condescending and often very humiliating for someone like that. Those uneducated about OCD may be quick to chalk the disorder up to things like scriptural ignorance, spiritual weakness, demonic influence and even sinful behavior. That is SO incredibly hurtful and counterproductive toward the goal of helping people with OCD and can sometimes even turn them away from interacting with God's people. Many church leaders believe that Bible study and prayer alone are the only tools needed to "cure" someone of their OCD. Imagine suggesting this to a person with diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease. You and I both know that this is not true and God has been so gracious to us in directing us to practical management strategies which may include meds., healthy lifestyle changes and ERP right alongside of teaching us that there is a purpose in affliction, even the affliction of OCD. I'm so glad that you made your position clear in this last post. I just needed to know that you weren't one of those people who just throw out scripture at the sufferer and expect that this will cure or fix the OCD. Many thanks for clarifying your position. I have great respect for your willingness to share openly about your OCD. It looks like we are on the same exact page in regard to acknowledging OCD as a real disorder that can be successfully managed with the proper direction. God Bless! Mitzi

I feel your hurts and struggles as I have the OCD illness also. My faith in God and the medication Anafranil has helped me considerably in my pursuits toward overcoming OCD. In the valleys of fear and doubt you experience in life, realize this: you are not alone! I care, but more importantly, God understands and cares! Just like me, He has a special life purpose for you and your illness (Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 8:28); also, nothing, including our illnesses or what you have or haven't done, will ever separate you (and also me) from God's perfect love! "What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later!" (Romans 8:18)

Taking Anafranil medication has helped me alot with OCD. Developing an ever growing intimate love relationship with God has helped me to experience peace, courage, hope, and self-control in spite of my illness. In addition to all this, what has helped me a lot in my life, is the ever-growing understanding and assurance that "God will provide me an escape route to every trial, temptation, etc. I experience (1 cor 10:13); that God often uses trials (inc. ocd) to build sufficient faith, courage, perseverance, and resistance to OCD obsessions and other fears I experience; and that God will never leave, fail, or forsake me in the process (deut 31:6,9).

Like a father who stands right next to his child, and then steps away from his kid, in order to teach his child how to walk independently, God is right next to us, using "OCD/adversity" small trials, to teach us to how to learn how to overcome, have faith and courage, and to rely upon Him, in our troubles. Like any good father trying to teach his children to ride a bicycle for the first times, God will hold His hands on His children (to keep our balance) until He pushes us a little bit, as we strive to learn independently how to ride a bicycle. When we fall, God will pick us up in His arms and wait for the right moment, to work at teaching us to overcome the fear of failing and falling, through small trials, until we learn how to overcome.

Nobody thought David could kill Goliath, but through the power of God, God conquered the enemy, and David killed the Philistine giant. And in the process, God got the glory, and the whole world could realized then that there is a God out there, and that He can do anything, and that that through David's weakness, God's Almighty power was made evident. I believe that this why God created me and you with OCD - to prove the world that us "David" can through God, overcome the giant called "OCD".

Here are some principles that helped me in my pursuits toward overcoming ocd/ trials :

1) God loves His children unconditionally, and God daily seeks an intimate love relationship with His children. Nothing can ever separate us from God's love (romans 8:38-41)

2) God has plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (jeremiah 29:11-13). Which means, in spite of God giving you OCD, He has plans for good and not for disaster in your life - a special purpose to reveal God's greatness in spite of the trial

3) God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. (romans 8:28)

4) God uses "small trials", and then "bigger ones and bigger ones" to gradually mold our character in learning how to overcome, how to have faith, to have courage, and to rely upon Him.

5) In order to overcome fear (OCD), must be willing to face related fears, or no learning or growth will take place. Thus, in faith, I usually say the following prayer: "Lord, you are the Vine, I am the branches" (which means the source of my power is God and not me), "Make it so I don't let this fear control me. Through your power, make is so I confront my fears, accept (embrace) my obsessions, surrender my fears, postpone thinking about the fear, and finally, to believe in the truth (that I won't commit the obsession, that I believe God will deliver me through the trial.)" see james 1:2-5

6) what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later" (romans 8:18).


7 "That God always provides us an escape route through our trials and temptations" - 1 corinthians 10:13.

8. "IF you have faith as even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there, and it would move. Nothing would be impossible'". matthew 17:20-21 .. "I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me." philippians 4:13

9. "Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall." psalms 55:22 . . "The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those who spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles; but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous, not one of them is broken!" (psalms 34:17-20).

10. "do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you.; He will neither fail you nor abandon you." Deut 31,9 Also see verse 6.

If you want, please go to My Mental Illness Recovery Success Story, to read my ocd, bipolar, abuse overcoming story.
 
Upvote 0

gracealone

Regular Member
Apr 5, 2007
1,692
120
Michigan
✟18,349.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Republican
With all due respect to your efforts to characterize anxiety disorders as common worry or shirking from that which God has instructed us to do I have to wonder about a few things: Do you believe that a soldier in a fox hole experiences the emotion of fear when bombs or bullets are flying by his/her head? Is that a sin? The soldier, while feeling the fear, has two choices. a. exercise courage and stay and fight or b. run away and abandon his fellow soldiers.
Do you believe that Christ experienced any anxiety prior to His obedience in going to the cross?
Do you ever get that rush of adrenaline when something happens that poses a danger to you or someone you love? Is that a sin?
The experience of fear is not a sin and those with anxiety disorders do not choose it. We do, however, have a choice in regard to what we do in response to it, but trust me that does take a tremendous amount of courage. BTW are you able to define courage without alluding to something that would require you to actually choose to be courageous. Faith requires more than a feeling it requires choice.
The experience of fear known as the "fight or flight response" is a natural part of how the brain works to warn us of danger.
For the person with OCD the area of the brain responsible for sending out this warning is misfiring at inappropriate times. The person with OCD does not worry themselves into a state of anxiety. The anxiety response attaches itself to themes because the brain is actually searching for some reason to be afraid. The person with OCD must develop courage when the fear crops up and needs to develop skills which teach them how to ignore this extremely uncomfortable feeling. It's a bit like a broken fire alarm that keeps on going off when there isn't an actual fire. Anxiety Disorders are not about faulty thinking they are about faulty wiring. Many people like myself, also get what is referred to as a Panic attack. These come out of the blue, even while sleeping and are nothing more than the brain triggering the fight or flight response when it's not necessary. There is no thought or worry attached to the feeling it just happens out of the blue. The brain reacts, the heart begins to race, the person begins to sweat and to shake, breathing becomes rapid/shallow without any provocation whatsoever. The person with Panic Disorder must learn to just ride these attacks out and to practice breathing techniques in order to allow time for the attack to pass.
This is a very brief and incomplete description of what causes Anxiety Disorders. They are typically genetically inherited just like a person can inherit diabetes or high blood pressure. They are also very treatable just like diabetes and high blood pressure and the Christian with an Anxiety Disorder is no less useful to God than any other person who suffers with a differing affliction. I am still thankful to God for all the ways He has shown Himself to be my strength and sufficiency IN this affliction. I stand with John Bunyan who struggled in the same exact way I have when he said: "God doth order it for my good." And " I am for going on and venturing my eternal state with Christ!!" It was Mr. Bunyan's testimony that this affliction is what really taught him about the abounding grace of Christ.
Can God completely cure my Anxiety Disorder? Yes He can. But that is His choice. Sometimes the thorn remains for a good cause. In my case it is for my humbling and for me to really grasp that He is the source of all good, all strength and nothing eternally valuable is achieved apart from Him.
Respectfully, Mitzi

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)

God is spiritual enough to cast out any fear :)
 
Upvote 0

gracealone

Regular Member
Apr 5, 2007
1,692
120
Michigan
✟18,349.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Republican
Thought about saying this the other day but hesitated, not wanting to seem all preachy on a forum which is supposed to be about OCD, in regard to how important it is to read scripture in it's proper context. This verse about love and fear is speaking of God's love that has brought us into Christ and has set us free from the fear of the condemnation and judgement that previously existed because of our sin. It is referencing the fact that those who are in Christ will not fear the day of judgement and can be confident of salvation because Christ has perfected them in love. vs: 17; "In this way, ( for those who live in God and God in them), love is made complete, (it is finished), among us so that we will have confidence (when?) on the day of judgement." BTW Christ's saving work in us isn't suddenly erased because we are afflicted with an anxiety disorder.
Those who have been saved by the atoning work of Christ will not fear on the day of judgement because of His atonement on the cross for them. Those who do not know Christ will be fearful on the day of judgement. So this is about a very specific kind of fear which has to do with the day of judgement. It is not appropriate to apply it to Christians who suffer from from OCD which creates an inappropriate fear response in the brain which in turn attaches itself to varying obsessional themes. To do so may make them feel as though they might not actually be saved and increase the level of anxiety that they already have. OCD always latches on to that which is nearest and dearest to you. The unsaved don't get Religious OCD because they cannot fear losing something they never had or even wanted to have. Their OCD will, however, attach itself to other themes like health, or harm, or contamination obsessions.
Just wanted to give a little more in depth look at this scripture in it's proper context.
Mitzi
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)

God is spiritual enough to cast out any fear :)
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0