Are Thoughts from OCD, Sins?

[pw89]

Hey everyone,

I was wondering; at times, thoughts that I wish not to think about, seemingly enters into my mind, without my consent, or without warning. At times, they seem completely unrelated to what I am doing or thinking about. At times, they enter when I am praying, and they keep incessantly bothering me, and at times, those thoughts expand.

These thoughts are bad thoughts--really messed up, sexually perverse and sinful thoughts. And they expand to different people, entities, and such. Sometimes, a bunch of generally messed up (sexually perverse and not sexually perverse) thoughts enter my mind.

Again, I do not want to think these thoughts.

Are these thoughts from OCD, sins?

If you ask me, from me knowing what these thoughts are, these thoughts are unquestionably sins. But, whenever I get them, I know I am suppose to confess my sins (1 John 1:9), but I just get tired of confessing them. Usually they are the same thoughts or same type of thoughts, and sometimes, as I am confessing them, as I previously stated, those thoughts expand to other things/entities, or other generally messed-up thoughts (sexually perverse and other). I usually end up confessing the same thoughts as sins, over and over, again. And because to confess sins, you obviously have to consider those sins/thoughts, and give them attention, sometimes, the more I confess, the more and more sinful thoughts enter my mind, and thus, the more sin I commit.

I should stop thinking about these thoughts, but my question is, what do I do initially when these sinful thoughts enter my mind? They are sins, and I am suppose to confess them...so, what should I do?

I want to be honest with God and confess all my sins to Him, but, what should I do in this case?

Thank You for your response(s).

-pw

 

[marcb]

Good questions. I am starting to see the intrusive thoughts for what they are: symptoms. It really devalues them. Of course, I am not always able to do this. Having a thought and confessing it, gives it more attention and empowers the thought. God knows you don't want the thought and it seems that stopping your prayer to pay attention to the thoughts is counterproductive.

Here are some strategies I am considering in this regard: please respond and tell me what you think:

1. In a clear moment (usually much later) pray to God that if anything in my mind was offensive, to please forgive it. Then drop it!

2. A good explanation of confession I've heard is that you are agreeing with God about your human state of affairs. You already agree that you would rather not have the thoughts.

3. Recognize the thoughts are symptoms of a disorder called ocd. I am not responsible for them anymore than I am responsible for sneezing. This is a hard one, but might be the most accurate.

I don't have the answers, but I'd like to see what you all think. Marc

 

[gracealone]

HI PW & Marc,
Just my two cents here, but I think that strategy number 3 although the hardest to implement is the best.
If we think we have to confess every unwanted intrusive thought that pops into our minds then it would follow that a person with tourettes syndrome should also have to make confession to God for every time an unwanted/ intrusive profanity popped out of their mouth because it had to have entered their mind before it popped out of their mouth. Yet we know that they are not intentionally sinning - they have a disorder. Neither are we intentionally sinning - we have a disorder. So I think Marcs #3 strategy is the best choice.
God Bless you both,
Mitzi

 

[1701]

Hi pw

I am totally new to these forums but I came across your post while searching google. After readying what you said I wanted to add my experience which I hope might be of some help to you.

A couple of years ago I had OCD. It really took a grip of me and was taking control of my life. I had many symptoms of ODC including washing of my hands over and over again (20 to 25 times) and checking doors were locked or lights where off but I also had bad thoughts – exactly how you described it.

At the time I was a very new Christian and I hated these voices, bad things came in my mind and I too kept apologising to God asking for forgiveness – I found it really stressful. I felt that God would be hating me because of what thoughts came in my head. (This is not true.)

Every time these things came in my head I would rebuke them – but I also found out the more I focused on these bad thoughts the worse I got.

But then one day God showed me that I had to ignore these bad thoughts. I learnt to have total faith in God. Every day I would pray for protection (just the once) and that these voices will not hurt or affect my life. So when the voices came I ignored them putting my faith in God. It was very hard at first because as soon as a bad thought came in my mind I wanted to pray to God for forgiveness but I just kept ignoring them knowing God understands and He will protect me.

Over the coming weeks the more and more I ignored the bad thoughts the more they disappeared. I now don’t have them – well sometimes a bad thought will try and pop back in but I just ignore them putting my faith in God.

Also as a big coincidence, this morning, my Minister at church mentioned a story today that I would like to pass onto you: “He has a friend who is also a Minster who was about to preach in front of his congregation, when everyone was singing he sat down to pray but he just found bad thought wanting to come into his mind – he was not able to focus on God so he got up and started singing with everyone else.”

My minister continues saying that the bad thought that were entering his friends mind were not SIN because the Minister hated what was coming in his mind. It is only sin if you are enjoying the thoughts.

You are not sinning; God loves you and in no way thinks any less of you.

Pw I hope this helps.

Angus

 

[pw89]

Hey everyone,

Thank You, Marc, Mitzi, and Angus for your responses and posts. They have all been helpful--Angus, Thank You for sharing your experience and what your minister said with me.

Marc, I think Mitzi is correct is that the third one is the best. Thank You, Marc for your suggestions/strategies.

Thank You, Mitzi, as well, for your comment/input.

Thank You, everyone, for all of your responses and all of your help.

If anyone else has anything else to add/share, or more insight to give, please do so and share!

Thank You, everyone, again.

-pw

 

[gracealone]

Hi pw

I am totally new to these forums but I came across your post while searching google. After readying what you said I wanted to add my experience which I hope might be of some help to you.

A couple of years ago I had OCD. It really took a grip of me and was taking control of my life. I had many symptoms of ODC including washing of my hands over and over again (20 to 25 times) and checking doors were locked or lights where off but I also had bad thoughts – exactly how you described it.

At the time I was a very new Christian and I hated these voices, bad things came in my mind and I too kept apologising to God asking for forgiveness – I found it really stressful. I felt that God would be hating me because of what thoughts came in my head. (This is not true.)

Every time these things came in my head I would rebuke them – but I also found out the more I focused on these bad thoughts the worse I got.

But then one day God showed me that I had to ignore these bad thoughts. I learnt to have total faith in God. Every day I would pray for protection (just the once) and that these voices will not hurt or affect my life. So when the voices came I ignored them putting my faith in God. It was very hard at first because as soon as a bad thought came in my mind I wanted to pray to God for forgiveness but I just kept ignoring them knowing God understands and He will protect me.

Over the coming weeks the more and more I ignored the bad thoughts the more they disappeared. I now don’t have them – well sometimes a bad thought will try and pop back in but I just ignore them putting my faith in God.

Also as a big coincidence, this morning, my Minister at church mentioned a story today that I would like to pass onto you: “He has a friend who is also a Minster who was about to preach in front of his congregation, when everyone was singing he sat down to pray but he just found bad thought wanting to come into his mind – he was not able to focus on God so he got up and started singing with everyone else.”

My minister continues saying that the bad thought that were entering his friends mind were not SIN because the Minister hated what was coming in his mind. It is only sin if you are enjoying the thoughts.

You are not sinning; God loves you and in no way thinks any less of you.

Pw I hope this helps.

Angus

HI Angus,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with OCD and how you were able to overcome it by using the technique of ignoring rather than attending to the thoughts. These types of success stories are so incredibly encouraging to all of us.
There is light at the end of the tunnel after all! (and it's not from an oncoming train - just in case our OCD might suggest that possibility.)
God Bless,
Mitzi