I was talking with a friend who was sharing the successes of her exposure-response prevention therapy. Initially we all fear that we will "lose our faith," either from our ocd thoughts themselves or from ceasing to resist (thereby devaluing) the thoughts.
Somehow we doubt or distrust our faith. If we view faith through the lens of scripture (take off the scary ocd lenses and put on the lens of the Word), we can see that:
...it is by Grace you have been saved through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.... Ephesians 2:8
Faith is a gift from God our Father, who when asked, gives the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:11-13), resulting in our faith. Our Father does not us give bad gifts (see Luke 11:13) that spoil. The gift of the Holy Spirit "seals" us in the faith (see Ephesians 1:13-14).
This radically changes my view of faith as something we are responsible for mustering up. It is a gift.
!!!!
Thank God for His gift of faith.
Finally:
"....take up the whole armor of God.....and having done everything, STAND UNMOVED!" (Ephesians 6:13)
May we STAND UNMOVED in our gift of faith.
Marc
Somehow we doubt or distrust our faith. If we view faith through the lens of scripture (take off the scary ocd lenses and put on the lens of the Word), we can see that:
...it is by Grace you have been saved through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.... Ephesians 2:8
Faith is a gift from God our Father, who when asked, gives the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:11-13), resulting in our faith. Our Father does not us give bad gifts (see Luke 11:13) that spoil. The gift of the Holy Spirit "seals" us in the faith (see Ephesians 1:13-14).
This radically changes my view of faith as something we are responsible for mustering up. It is a gift.
!!!!Thank God for His gift of faith.
Finally:
"....take up the whole armor of God.....and having done everything, STAND UNMOVED!" (Ephesians 6:13)
May we STAND UNMOVED in our gift of faith.
Marc
