Can I ask for advice? Basically: how do I glorify God in everything I do? Do I need to glorify God in everything I do?

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I do have Scrupulousity, by the way. I don't know if that's relevant, but I should probably tell you just in case.

Also, this may be potentially triggering to someone else with OCD.

How do I do everything for God? And if I don't do something with the explicit purpose of "doing it for God", is it a sin? I've got it in my head that it is (I'm not 100% sure how much Scripture backs that) and it's causing me anxiety. I'm nervous to commit myself to anything if I can't find a religious motive behind it.

I'm worrying about my motives involving everything. Is getting my Driver's License a sin if I'm doing it for practicality's sake? Is taking care of my appearance and hygiene a sin 'cause I'm doing it to feel clean and better about myself? I recently started trying to wake up early with the hopes of getting my life together... Is that wrong because I'm not really doing it for God?

Does this make sense?

I kinda wanna ask my pastor and/or my mom, but I'm worried they'll think I'm ridiculous. Either everyone else is wayyy more moral than I am, and does everything for God's sake... Or they don't worry about this? Maybe I'm being ridiculous after all.

What are your thoughts? I kinda feel like I'm in a hypothetical limbo rn.
 

Gregory Thompson

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Anything that's not of faith is sin.

Anxiety is basically the opposite of faith in a sense.

It is written in Hebrews 11 that without faith it is impossible to please Him.

In general, actions made from anxiety tend to be self serving .

I hope that helps.
 
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Anything that's not of faith is sin.

Anxiety is basically the opposite of faith in a sense.

It is written in Hebrews 11 that without faith it is impossible to please Him.

In general, actions made from anxiety tend to be self serving .

I hope that helps.

Hey, thank you for your comment! What would you suggest I do then, as someone who struggles with severe anxiety? I'm on medication, and I've been to psychologists (though I'm not seeing a professional right now). I wish I could wish away my OCD, but nothing seems to successfully get rid of it. Does this mean I'm doomed to be constantly in sin? Also, if I have faith about my actions does that mean they're not sin? Sorry, I'm a little confused (you did nothing wrong, I can be a little dumb sometimes).
 
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Gregory Thompson

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Hey, thank you for your comment! What would you suggest I do then, as someone who struggles with severe anxiety? I'm on medication, and I've been to psychologists (though I'm not seeing a professional right now). I wish I could wish away my OCD, but nothing seems to successfully get rid of it. Does this mean I'm doomed to be constantly in sin? Also, if I have faith about my actions does that mean they're not sin? Sorry, I'm a little confused (you did nothing wrong, I can be a little dumb sometimes).
Not a problem. by the way, everyone sins, that's why we need Jesus. Jesus gave a gift, some aspire to earn it. However, if the gift could be earned, then Jesus died in vain.

I used to have a chemical imbalance that eventually balanced out, some of my symptoms were similar to OCD for some of those years and I found a way of relaxing in God. The way is spiritual in nature.

Since the remedy is spiritual, being smart isn't necessary, trusting God is.

The connected scripture is in Philippians Chapter 4 regarding the peace that surpasses understanding.
 
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Sabertooth

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Basically: how do I glorify God in everything I do?
Do I need to glorify God in everything I do?
With OCD/scrupulosity, the goalposts keep moving. The only way that you can win is to not play its game.
  1. See a psychiatrist (not just a psychologist).
  2. Visit a church that is good at dealing with mental illnesses.
 
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msufan

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I'm worrying about my motives involving everything. Is getting my Driver's License a sin if I'm doing it for practicality's sake? Is taking care of my appearance and hygiene a sin 'cause I'm doing it to feel clean and better about myself? I recently started trying to wake up early with the hopes of getting my life together... Is that wrong because I'm not really doing it for God?
In your situation, I believe the things you are doing (getting a driver's license, hygiene, waking up early) are not wrong. When you feel anxiety that you have the wrong motives for something, you can just hand that concern off to God ("God, I feel nervous that I'm not doing this for you like I should. I love you and want to follow you. Please keep guiding me along the way.") and then let it go.

Also, your mom would probably be honored if you asked her about this. Parents usually appreciate openness -- I know I would.
 
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In your situation, I believe the things you are doing (getting a driver's license, hygiene, waking up early) are not wrong. When you feel anxiety that you have the wrong motives for something, you can just hand that concern off to God ("God, I feel nervous that I'm not doing this for you like I should. I love you and want to follow you. Please keep guiding me along the way.") and then let it go.

Also, your mom would probably be honored if you asked her about this. Parents usually appreciate openness -- I know I would.

Sorry for taking so long to reply, and thank you for this.
 
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Rescued One

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I do have Scrupulousity, by the way. I don't know if that's relevant, but I should probably tell you just in case.

Also, this may be potentially triggering to someone else with OCD.

How do I do everything for God? And if I don't do something with the explicit purpose of "doing it for God", is it a sin? I've got it in my head that it is (I'm not 100% sure how much Scripture backs that) and it's causing me anxiety. I'm nervous to commit myself to anything if I can't find a religious motive behind it.

I'm worrying about my motives involving everything. Is getting my Driver's License a sin if I'm doing it for practicality's sake? Is taking care of my appearance and hygiene a sin 'cause I'm doing it to feel clean and better about myself? I recently started trying to wake up early with the hopes of getting my life together... Is that wrong because I'm not really doing it for God?

Does this make sense?

I kinda wanna ask my pastor and/or my mom, but I'm worried they'll think I'm ridiculous. Either everyone else is wayyy more moral than I am, and does everything for God's sake... Or they don't worry about this? Maybe I'm being ridiculous after all.

What are your thoughts? I kinda feel like I'm in a hypothetical limbo rn.
None of us are perfect and we haven't had perfect training by perfect parents. We are saved by God's grace though faith, not by what we do.

I would say avoid sins that condemn a person to hell. Read the Bible and write down verses that sound like instructions. One verse that I love is Ephesians 4:32:

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Always remember that God loves you and He loves your desire to please Him. A lot of people might criticize you for asking, but remember they're imperfect and just blurting things out without knowing the right things to say. When I was growing up, my older sister wouldn't answer my questions. She would say, "I'm not telling you because you're stupid." But that was a lesson for me to learn how to not treat others.

Great instructions are listed below:

Life by the Spirit

13You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15If you bite and devour each other,* watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
* (are harsh and critical)
16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control.

Hygiene isn't a sin. It's being considerate of others. You don't have to look better than others.

Learning to drive will enable you to help others and not need rides all the time. Sometimes other people need rides. Sometimes other people can't drive.

As time goes by, your desires and motives will conform more and more to God's will. He's not angrily waiting to pounce on you. He wants to help you. When we believe we've done wrong, we ask Him to forgive us and to help us improve.


I hope this advice is encouraging.
 
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Mark Quayle

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I do have Scrupulousity, by the way. I don't know if that's relevant, but I should probably tell you just in case.

Also, this may be potentially triggering to someone else with OCD.

How do I do everything for God? And if I don't do something with the explicit purpose of "doing it for God", is it a sin? I've got it in my head that it is (I'm not 100% sure how much Scripture backs that) and it's causing me anxiety. I'm nervous to commit myself to anything if I can't find a religious motive behind it.

I'm worrying about my motives involving everything. Is getting my Driver's License a sin if I'm doing it for practicality's sake? Is taking care of my appearance and hygiene a sin 'cause I'm doing it to feel clean and better about myself? I recently started trying to wake up early with the hopes of getting my life together... Is that wrong because I'm not really doing it for God?

Does this make sense?

I kinda wanna ask my pastor and/or my mom, but I'm worried they'll think I'm ridiculous. Either everyone else is wayyy more moral than I am, and does everything for God's sake... Or they don't worry about this? Maybe I'm being ridiculous after all.

What are your thoughts? I kinda feel like I'm in a hypothetical limbo rn.
The way I see it, glorifying God, while of course you should do so at every turn, is what God does through you regardless of whether you obey or not. He will even glorify himself through Satan —as we come to know him we can see it (in his goodness to us, etc), and certainly we will see it in the end.

So, it isn't quite an us vs him, thing, as though God has his part and we have ours. He not only provides our motivation, but he is our motivation. And we find out that he is not only our motivation but our motion. Do a word study (phrase study) on "in Christ".

But if you can't help but be OCD, be OCD about Bible Study. His Word is amazing. I found myself NEEDING obedience, and righteousness, and it always beyond my reach. I prayed, sometimes screaming for God, hours reading, sometimes searching, other times just reading whole books of the Bible, and instead of finding what I thought I needed, I found answers beyond my concepts. My questions had been ignorant, and God himself was my answer. My eyes began to come off myself, and onto Christ. —Just one example: Instead of worrying whether I was actually going to Heaven or not, and whether I had been sincere enough when I 'accepted him', I found answers in abundance: I found out that He is VERY pleased with his plans, and that he will not fail to accomplish all he set out to do, and I get to watch him work. I found out that though he is more severe than I can imagine, he is also more tender and forgiving than I can imagine —I am safer under his judgement than even under my own, and certainly than under the judgement of others. I found out that this life is not about this life. And all those are just the tip of the iceberg.

Anyhow, God be with you as you pursue him. (Yes, that's a play on words, but valid anyway.)
 
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biblelesson

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I do have Scrupulousity, by the way. I don't know if that's relevant, but I should probably tell you just in case.

Also, this may be potentially triggering to someone else with OCD.

How do I do everything for God? And if I don't do something with the explicit purpose of "doing it for God", is it a sin? I've got it in my head that it is (I'm not 100% sure how much Scripture backs that) and it's causing me anxiety. I'm nervous to commit myself to anything if I can't find a religious motive behind it.

I'm worrying about my motives involving everything. Is getting my Driver's License a sin if I'm doing it for practicality's sake? Is taking care of my appearance and hygiene a sin 'cause I'm doing it to feel clean and better about myself? I recently started trying to wake up early with the hopes of getting my life together... Is that wrong because I'm not really doing it for God?

Does this make sense?

I kinda wanna ask my pastor and/or my mom, but I'm worried they'll think I'm ridiculous. Either everyone else is wayyy more moral than I am, and does everything for God's sake... Or they don't worry about this? Maybe I'm being ridiculous after all.

What are your thoughts? I kinda feel like I'm in a hypothetical limbo rn.
I want to offer you some things to consider.

First, not to offend anyone, but I don’t believe in conditions like OCD. I see it as being anxious and worrying more than most.

But we can consider what has already taken place in Christ. We consider Christ because Christ has defeated all these issues for you at his death and resurrection, so your healing is his gift of grace to you!

So, now how will what Jesus already accomplished for you manifest?

First you will have to commit to fight the good fight of faith, 1 Timothy 6:12. Timothy was in the same situation you are in, worry, crying, doubting, but look at what Apostle Paul said to him. Paul said he was mindful of Timothy’s tears, and told him to stir up the “gift” of God that was in him. 2 Timothy 1:1-8.

Every situation we face is spelled out in the gospel for us to follow exactly the same way to overcome. Nothing else people say is important if it doesn’t line up to the gospel, because the gospel “is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, Romans 1:16. Start reading your Bible from Romans to Jude for now. As you read pray for understanding - stop at certain verses and pray God enlighten your understanding as you read.

Also Paul told Timothy to stir up the gift that was in him. This gift is what God gives us to overcome difficult situations in our lives, 2 Timothy 1:7. Timothy had it. Paul had it. All Christians have it. You should have received power as a Christian, and if you did not at baptism, then go to your preacher who can lay His hands on you to receive the Power of Holy Spirit. If you have received the Holy Spirit, then ask God to reveal to you how to communicate with the Spirit.

For me, the Spirit edifies me and strengthens me when I’m faced with difficulty. Because it is not us that has the power to overcome it is God Himself through Jesus by His Spirit (Power) that enables you. Please see this and believe this. Because if you continue to judge yourself, try on your own to stop your thoughts and worry, and ruminating thoughts you are going to fail.

Follow what Paul told Timothy. Apostle Paul told us to follow him. Jesus gave the gospel to Paul and the other Apostles to move us from weakness to Power in Jesus.

We are not suppose to think we must do “anything” for God because we can’t. I understand you may have been taught wrong but when we think like this, we deny what Christ has done for us. Because it’s Christ that has made us acceptable to God, not us. We can never be acceptable to God, that’s why Jesus died for us, to make us righteous. So stop trying to be righteous when our Lord already made you righteous by his blood.
Or else he died for nothing, and you think you can stand righteous before God. We are not accepted of our own, only in Chris are we accepted. So thank God for what He has already done for you in Christ Jesus. So you don’t have to be good anymore, because we are not good, Chris makes us good.

To make this fact a reality, God crucified our old man, that is our “self” that always want to sin, on the cross with Christ, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:8, Colossians 3:3. Now think about, if we are dead in Christ, then how do we now live. We are told to put off the old man, and put on the new man, Ephesians 4:22-24.

You see how now Galatians 2:20, and Ephesians 4:22-24 takes care of your OCD?

It’s the power of God that has done it - it has already been done in Christ. So, now, this is where the “fight the good fight of faith” comes in. Are you going to believe the gospel? Are you going to believe what God and Jesus has done for you? You must believe God’s truth. We have been blessed with grace, forgiveness, love, power, help.

So think on these things. Don’t do! Just believe! Focus on the truth of what God has done for you! Read your Bible and pray.

Thank you for your questions because I am helped also. We can ask questions, but we must spend time with the weapon God gave us - his word, and His Spirit, and ask Him!

The Spirit is sent to us from none other than Jesus Christ Himself, John 14:26.

May Gods bless you and enlighten you and cause you to operate in His Power!
 
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oikonomia

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Whatever you feel you lack, instead of sinking in instrospection, give thanks to Christ that He has that ability.

You notice a lack in yourself. Turn it to praise "Lord Jesus, thank You that You are SO ________".

Insert whatever you feel so short of and lack, Immediately THANK the Lord Jesus that He IS and HAS everything you need.

Turn your sorrowwful instrospections into opportunity to thank Jesus that He is everything a man needs.


Incidently, learn then do the SAME for the things that you think you are successful in and perhaps have no need of Christ.
 
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Mari17

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I do have Scrupulousity, by the way. I don't know if that's relevant, but I should probably tell you just in case.

Also, this may be potentially triggering to someone else with OCD.

How do I do everything for God? And if I don't do something with the explicit purpose of "doing it for God", is it a sin? I've got it in my head that it is (I'm not 100% sure how much Scripture backs that) and it's causing me anxiety. I'm nervous to commit myself to anything if I can't find a religious motive behind it.

I'm worrying about my motives involving everything. Is getting my Driver's License a sin if I'm doing it for practicality's sake? Is taking care of my appearance and hygiene a sin 'cause I'm doing it to feel clean and better about myself? I recently started trying to wake up early with the hopes of getting my life together... Is that wrong because I'm not really doing it for God?

Does this make sense?

I kinda wanna ask my pastor and/or my mom, but I'm worried they'll think I'm ridiculous. Either everyone else is wayyy more moral than I am, and does everything for God's sake... Or they don't worry about this? Maybe I'm being ridiculous after all.

What are your thoughts? I kinda feel like I'm in a hypothetical limbo rn.
I have OCD/scrupulosity, and I know exactly how you feel! Have you ever been able to get OCD-specific therapy, or to learn specific strategies for dealing with your OCD? I'd be happy to provide links to some of the resources (websites etc.) that have been helpful for me!
 
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studentinprayer

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I kinda wanna ask my pastor and/or my mom, but I'm worried they'll think I'm ridiculous.

I always encourage people to seek advice as you never know what will work, but my suspicion is they'll dismiss it as it will not be their experience(that is different from being ridiculous). If I understand you correctly, however, this desire is of the variety that it feels like it impairs your whole life. To that ends, I would say there remains in it a ''juice' or 'high' whenever you deem yourself righteous by it and perhaps even when you are condemned by it. That cycle of addiction to 'righteousness' and/or 'humiliation' is the destructive force not the intention, thoughts or actions themselves.

I don't think then you need to give up the intense devotion or intention to do everything for God to free yourself from the scrupulousity of it -- only the addiction to the 'juice'. Learning to let go of the cycle of desire which paints your life with fear, guilt, regret, anxiety, OCD, wanting etc etc when in fact many of these same traits can potentially enliven your lifestyle and make everyday living more joyful.

In other words, I hear your question not as "How do I do everything for God?" but "Why does this desire to do everything for God get in the way of actually doing anything for God?"

Either everyone else is wayyy more moral than I am, and does everything for God's sake... Or they don't worry about this?
Many don't worry about it, but since you do I wouldn't put too much mind to their approach. Once you see something, unseeing it isn't so easy.

And if I don't do something with the explicit purpose of "doing it for God", is it a sin? I've got it in my head that it is (I'm not 100% sure how much Scripture backs that) and it's causing me anxiety. I'm nervous to commit myself to anything if I can't find a religious motive behind it.
In the statement "it is a sin to do something without the explicit purpose of "doing it for God" '

Be it true or false, there is a tone that makes God seem demanding and quite indifferent to our condition as people with a morality problem. So what if instead our loving God instead does see our morality problem, permits us space in which to develop into perfection, and cares more to see us try our best than condemn ourselves for our shortcomings.

In that light, the point might be instead to incorporate certain insights into our daily living:
1. "Lord, may I put aside my will to have your will be done"
2. "Lord, help me refrain from anything which does not serve your will"
3. "Lord, may we do this together and have ... join in my continuous prayer"

Lastly, I would advise not to assume you can know what has 'a religious motive behind it' or not. We can instead pray and contemplate on how to incorporate God in our our daily lives and refrain wherever it becomes clear the activity separates us from this intention.
 
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I do have Scrupulousity, by the way. I don't know if that's relevant, but I should probably tell you just in case.

Also, this may be potentially triggering to someone else with OCD.

How do I do everything for God? And if I don't do something with the explicit purpose of "doing it for God", is it a sin? I've got it in my head that it is (I'm not 100% sure how much Scripture backs that) and it's causing me anxiety. I'm nervous to commit myself to anything if I can't find a religious motive behind it.

I'm worrying about my motives involving everything. Is getting my Driver's License a sin if I'm doing it for practicality's sake? Is taking care of my appearance and hygiene a sin 'cause I'm doing it to feel clean and better about myself? I recently started trying to wake up early with the hopes of getting my life together... Is that wrong because I'm not really doing it for God?

Does this make sense?

I kinda wanna ask my pastor and/or my mom, but I'm worried they'll think I'm ridiculous. Either everyone else is wayyy more moral than I am, and does everything for God's sake... Or they don't worry about this? Maybe I'm being ridiculous after all.

What are your thoughts? I kinda feel like I'm in a hypothetical limbo rn.
Jesus is our rest. Our true rest. I will pray that you can find what a wonderful rest Jesus is.
Here is a sermon that is a blessing to me. I hope it is a light and breath of fresh air to you.