Brain vs. Soul

[TULIPgirl]

Hi everybody,
I am feeling upset right now because I don't understand how much OCD is a chemical brain problem and whether it is a spiritual problem too... I know that there are lots of sincere Christians out there who think that mental things like depression, OCD, etc. are spiritual problems of sin and that us people who struggle with it are just "sinning". My family (I still live at home with my parents) and I were listening to a sermon on CD by some pastor who was really getting angry at the people who are depressed and take medication for it. According to him, it's a problem of spiritual pride. I'd hate to hear what he has to say about OCD. I'm feeling bad now because I have OCD and I have been depressed too and now I'm wondering if I'm just "allowing" myself to sin in this area, that it's all my fault that I have OCD. (Not that I want to have it!!!!!!!!!!!) So I feel guilty because of this...advice please!

 

[OptimisticSmile]

the church is failing in counseing christians as my textbook points out many pastors treat salvation as a "cure all" for everything. Looking down on the depressed and those struggling as if they are in the wrong to me sounds very prideful of the pastor. the bible tells us to confess our faults one to another yet because of the climate of the church there is a persona that noone struglles and that everyone is full of joy and fulfillment. Thus we arent honest with others who could help us.

That Pastor reminds me of Jobs freinds who scorned him in is afflictions telling him that he must be in sin and such. My current struggle started after following God in obedience to go on a mission trip and lead a bible study. Mind you I had pride as we all do but I wasn't caught up in sin and running from God.

I believe that God is in it wether its a satanic attack , chemical or ourselves . Satan had to go to God first for permission to get to Job. God allowed paul to be buffeted by a messanger of Satan , his thorn in the flesh 2corinthians ch. 12). if it is ourselves then why do we not receive any help when we recognize it as ourselves and confess it to God (perhaps because it really is not our fault).

beware of prosperity gospels and anti-christian counseling pastors. they mean well but they are ignorant. Our reward is in heaven and so God could lead on a life of suffering. I tend to believe he wants our obedience and not necessarily our happiness. we will have it one day.

 

[stacii]

Optimistic Smile is right. There are no promises that once you are saved you will be happy, rich, beautiful, talented...Feel good pastors will tell you that if you are not all of the above something is wrong with you. Truthfully, we were all put here to lift each other up, pray for each other and make each other stronger. Suffering, unfortunately is something that the Bible said we would have to endure. This is a sinful sinful world, and, Christian or not, suffering will find you. That being said, so will healing if you seek it out. When you get to heaven and ask God why he made you suffer with OCD for so many years without alleviating it, what are you going to say when he says "Well, I gave you plenty of options like medication and counseling."

 

[gracealone]

HI Tulip,
First of all let me say that I'm so sorry that you had to hear that judgemental sermon because I know that hearing something like that when you are in the throws of an OCD flare can really put you in a dark place.
OP and Stacii are right. The Pastor, though he may mean well, is speaking out of ignorance about something that he's clueless about. You are no more responsible for your OCD than the person who has high blood pressure or diabetes. If the brain is made of flesh and blood then certainly it is not going to be excluded from illness, disease and disorders.
There needs to be more education and understanding within the Christian community about mental disorders so that these types of things don't keep happening.
Rest assured, that OCD is a chemical imbalance that responds well to the proper meds. and treatments. It is NOT a spiritual problem.
My heart goes out to you... I know that it's all too easy for us to agree with anyone who tells us that our disorder is our fault and that can be devastating.
I'll be praying for you.
Mitzi

 

[BeccaLynn]

I know very well how terrifying it can be to listen to certain ministers. I used to make myself listen to a certain tv channel that had continuous preaching on it. I did this because I felt that something was so wrong with me and that if I was okay with God spiritually that I wouldn't be so fearful to hear preaching. So I tried to listen and "overcome" the fear, get right with God, and enjoy listening to sermons. It never, ever worked. It only put me into a state of seemingly deep spiritual hopelessness. Certain ministers are harder to listen to than others for me, especialy the hell, fire and brimstone preachers. Loud preachers seem to intensify the feeling with me as well. Have you ever told your parents how it makes you feel to listen to this minister? I know that in a past post you mentioned that they didn't know. Do you think that they wouldn't understand? I know that I've never told my dad, but I've told my mother. She admitted to going through something similar to what I was dealing with. Do your parents just expect you to listen, or is it an option to choose to go to your room and listen to soothing contemporary music or something. What everyone else has said is true. I said before on a thread that I read about a certain minister who preached against taking anti-depressants, and later this same minister became so depressed that he could hardly get out of bed. He ended up taking anti-depressants, they helped him, and he encouraged people who needed them to take them. Possibly God allowed him to experience this so that he could see for himself how easy it is to for someone to judge who isn't going through or hasn't gone through what they are preaching about. I have heard so many preach against taking things, but I think maybe what some of them are failing to get across, or fail to understand themselves, is that some people take medicine to try and drown out life's problems or to get away from things they need to deal with. This isn't the sermon for someone who really needs it because of a chemical imbalance.

Rebecca

 

[sady]

Hello TULIPgirl,
It seems that the people who jump to judgment so quickly, are always the people who have never been through what the other person has gone through. Interesting, isn't it. I don't think anyone has a place to judge (as the Bible talks about it clearly). When you hear people judging those with mental disorders ie. depression, OCD, know that it's not from God. He won't get angry at you. If He ostracized us, where else could we go? No, God wants us to dump all of our burdens and sorrows on Him, and He cares. We've been taught as kids that authority figures are right, and we must listen to them, so it's hard to some extent (at least for me) when I hear an authority figure (ie. preacher) say something that I don't agree with and if I disagree, not to feel guilty about it. But the only authority figure we have that is perfect is God - so if what a teacher, preacher ect... says gives you a lack of peace, listen to what God's Word says instead. He is a compassionate God, full of love and near to the brokenhearted. OCD is a disorder of the brain, and at those times of OCD can cause us to feel distant from God (that is what I would call a spiritual problem - where our hearts and minds find it difficult to connect with Him at that particular moment of anxiety and giving in to the OCD - and for some of us, even at times where the OCD is not actively working); BUT............. God is NOT angry! and He will not judge us for it. He knows the cause, whether it's our brain chemistry or/and a result of emotional wounding, and he has compassion on us. Rest assured that though you are struggling with the OCD, God is near to you and is not out to judge you. He loves you as much with the OCD as if you never had it at all. I also believe that He has the power to heal - both the physical brain, and any emotional wounds we may have. So wherever we're at, let's remember, God's objective is LOVE.
Blessings,
Sady