A worry about my view of God

[Blaise N]

Warning: Please,if you have OCD,Do not view this unless you have strong faith,I don’t want to bring worries onto others.

Hi everyone,

This is something small I’ve been worried about,it’s not so much troubling as other things I’ve posted about.But it’s significant enough to cause my attention to it.

So,like most people with OCD,I worry about Gods existence.And not in an unbelievers way,I worry because I want him to be real.my worry stems onto something different,I catch myself sometimes being too introverted.And not outwardly,and I worry that I’m “imagining my faith”.Whenever I say a prayer,I do have doubts if God is there but also worry if I truly believe he is,what I tend to rely on is he hears everything,so I rely on prayer for his help since he heard everything.I tend to need to look at something,and this is where it gets confusing,then visualize God above that thing I’m looking at to help be understanding his realness.I understand the common phrase “Seeing is not believing” but I worry to a concerning degree that I don’t truly believe God is real to the point I can sense he is.I have trouble looking around and knowing for certain he is real.And like I said earlier I want him to be real and I want to know he is and walk everyday knowing he is ever present.But I feel like I’m the only one with this particular problem.


To sum things up,Here’s a paraphrased version of what I’m saying;

“I’m concerned I’m imagining God is real and my faith is too introverted and my faith is on something else,worrying about wether he is real or not,worried that I can’t see/understand that.Then in a very very small part worried I’ve committed apostasy”


However in a contradictory way,I know he is real,wether I sense it or not, I know he sees the heart,thoughts,and movements of mine.


I’d like to know if anyone has been through anything similar and if anyone could offer insight on how to fix it,if it is a alarming problem that needs to be fixed immediately.

 

[Irkle Berserkle]

I don't think the issue you're describing is unique to those with OCD by any means. I think all of us wish we had a stronger sense of God's actual presence.

I have had complex events in my life that I absolutely can't explain in any way other than the hand of God. And yet when I pray, I often pray for a stronger sense of God's reality, of His actual presence.

It's obviously not part of God's plan to reveal Himself so clearly that we are compelled to believe. He provides clues, but He wants us to turn to Him of our own free will.

Since I already believe, I like you am puzzled as to why He doesn't make His presence more vivid and real. I don't have an easy answer for you. I think most honest Christians will admit they at least sometimes wonder whether God exists at all.

I would simply say that what you're worrying about is what all Christians worry about and shouldn't concern you too greatly. There is an old Christian classic called The Cloud of Unknowing which is something of a practical manual for entering into communion with God. I might recommend it.

The presence of God is felt more acutely in silent communion than anywhere else. I would say to be silent and prayerful and just let it happen. Worrying about it definitely isn't going to help.

 

[Unqualified]

Life is ups and downs even how we feel our faith, stronger some days. We can be sure God is there. We can not have serious doubts. One ways is positive affirmations. Repeating certain scriptures until we are sure. Like ‘I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me. It takes work, like it takes work not to worry. Fixe your mind on scripture when you doubt be cause that’s what we believe. If you fix on doubt you believe that. Do you see that?

Be gentle with yourself and gently pull yourself away from doubt to the truth of scripture.

 

[messianist]

For me, anyone who has experienced his calling can't have any doubt in their head, because he continues to put that individual in circumstances that will line up with his word experiences are so powerful.

I can see with what a lot of people say in life that the experience is not real to them they tend to say what they think scriptures mean their thought process, their own work

This thinking does not line up with scripture
I hope this makes sense .

 

[Unqualified]

For me, anyone who has experienced his calling can't have any doubt in their head, because he continues to put that individual in circumstances that will line up with his word experiences are so powerful.

I can see with what a lot of people say in life that the experience is not real to them they tend to say what they think scriptures mean their thought process, their own work

This thinking does not line up with scripture
I hope this makes sense .

when I fear I say scripture and I fear no more. I learned to trust God that way. When I doubt I go to what the scripture says about it and I doubt no more. Now I rarely doubt or fear because God doesn’t lie. When I do it can get out of hand but it’s ok because the scripture backs God up, His calling and not giving up ground.
As someone said agree with the thought take it captive to obedience of Christ and let it go. Our thoughts are passing and not all to be gripped. Keep them flowing.

It makes sense that’s why we need a good bible teacher @messianist

 

[messianist]

when I fear I say scripture and I fear no more. I learned to trust God that way. When I doubt I go to what the scripture says about it and I doubt no more. Now I rarely doubt or fear because God doesn’t lie. When I do it can get out of hand but it’s ok because the scripture backs God up, His calling and not giving up ground.
As someone said agree with the thought take it captive to obedience of Christ and let it go. Our thoughts are passing and not all to be gripped. Keep them flowing.

It makes sense that’s why we need a good bible teacher @messianist

With reference to the scriptures I have found 2 scenarios, either I get put in a situation and then lead to the scriptures that give me clarification on what that circumstance was meant, or the opposite I can be reading and then a particular section I have read becomes a reality,
Practice and theory

We have the best in the business

Holy Spirit

 

[Unqualified]

But if you know the Lord says fear not then you can make that a reality too.

 

[messianist]

And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

 

[Blaise N]

And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Is that for me?

 

[messianist]

Is that for me?

It's a scripture I didn't post it directly at you or anyone,

 

[Tolworth John]

“I’m concerned I’m imagining God is real and my faith is too introverted and my faith is on something else,worrying about wether he is real or not,worried that I can’t see/understand that.Then in a very very small part worried I’ve committed apostasy”

Matt 12:20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.

God knows your problems and will not judge you because of them.

Only Christians worry about apostasy.

 

[Mari17]

Warning: Please,if you have OCD,Do not view this unless you have strong faith,I don’t want to bring worries onto others.

Hi everyone,

This is something small I’ve been worried about,it’s not so much troubling as other things I’ve posted about.But it’s significant enough to cause my attention to it.

So,like most people with OCD,I worry about Gods existence.And not in an unbelievers way,I worry because I want him to be real.my worry stems onto something different,I catch myself sometimes being too introverted.And not outwardly,and I worry that I’m “imagining my faith”.Whenever I say a prayer,I do have doubts if God is there but also worry if I truly believe he is,what I tend to rely on is he hears everything,so I rely on prayer for his help since he heard everything.I tend to need to look at something,and this is where it gets confusing,then visualize God above that thing I’m looking at to help be understanding his realness.I understand the common phrase “Seeing is not believing” but I worry to a concerning degree that I don’t truly believe God is real to the point I can sense he is.I have trouble looking around and knowing for certain he is real.And like I said earlier I want him to be real and I want to know he is and walk everyday knowing he is ever present.But I feel like I’m the only one with this particular problem.


To sum things up,Here’s a paraphrased version of what I’m saying;

“I’m concerned I’m imagining God is real and my faith is too introverted and my faith is on something else,worrying about wether he is real or not,worried that I can’t see/understand that.Then in a very very small part worried I’ve committed apostasy”


However in a contradictory way,I know he is real,wether I sense it or not, I know he sees the heart,thoughts,and movements of mine.


I’d like to know if anyone has been through anything similar and if anyone could offer insight on how to fix it,if it is a alarming problem that needs to be fixed immediately.

I agree with Irkle Berserkle that it's normal to have doubts. In fact, I'd say that's part of what makes us human. OCD makes us have even more doubts, and in fact draws our attention to our doubts because it wants to make us feel uncertain and scared about something (e.g. "Am I really saved??"). So in your case, it sounds like your core fear is of losing your salvation or committing apostasy, and OCD is playing on that and making you worried that your doubts mean that your core fear is true. If that makes sense LOL. I think the important thing is to just keep following God despite the doubts. To keep coming to Him with the doubts, and asking Him to keep strengthening our faith and showing us the way.