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How you imagine God to be

Cormack

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Question: Does how you imagine God cause your anxiety to worsen?

There’s a long list of the walking wounded here on Christian Forums, posters who are trapped in an awful state of fear about blasphemy, backsliding and many other psychological maladies. But how much of those fears are a byproduct of our views about God being unloving, partial, wrathful, judicial and desirous of justice over mercy?

How much of your anxiety is due to your theology?
 

Victor in Christ

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Question: Does how you imagine God cause your anxiety to worsen?

There’s a long list of the walking wounded here on Christian Forums, posters who are trapped in an awful state of fear about blasphemy, backsliding and many other psychological maladies. But how much of those fears are a byproduct of our views about God being unloving, partial, wrathful, judicial and desirous of justice over mercy?

How much of your anxiety is due to your theology?

The theology and religion of Pharisaic 'christians' causes me anxiety, especially when the religion they preach tries to fit in with the theology their promoting.

Christ's yoke is easy John 14:27, but the yoke of the world is heavy. Luke 17:2/Matthew 18:6

Preachers who are called to preach and true Christians will both try to edify and correct. They'll use the carrot and the stick method correctly until a believer is mature in their faith. They'll never dangle the carrot to comfort you with words of hope when they know your faith is dead. They'll also never try to correct you with their stick just to put you down when you step out of line with their theology.
 
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Anthony2019

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Anxiety and religious scrupulosity are often co-related.
From the boy who never stops washing his hands, to the woman told to stop thinking about pink elephants, nearly all of us are obsessive-compulsive to some degree, even if we do not recognise it or meet the criteria for an official diagnosis.
Anxiety affects us all. Whether we are a head of state, a company executive, administrator or janitor, we have plenty of things to worry about: our lives, our health, our families, our finances and our future. Perhaps even our afterlife and the state of our soul.
The remedy for fear is always faith, hope and love. Relinquishing control and letting God be God.
Whatever our circumstances, however difficult our predicament, we can confidently place our hope and trust in the One who loves us so dearly and intimately.
 
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Taodeching

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Question: Does how you imagine God cause your anxiety to worsen?

There’s a long list of the walking wounded here on Christian Forums, posters who are trapped in an awful state of fear about blasphemy, backsliding and many other psychological maladies. But how much of those fears are a byproduct of our views about God being unloving, partial, wrathful, judicial and desirous of justice over mercy?

How much of your anxiety is due to your theology?

When I was an evangelical of differing stripes that causes a lot of anxiety because you always had to tell others, read your Bible, and more. When I left that system I lost most of my anxiety though it was not instant.
 
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anna ~ grace

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When I was an evangelical of differing stripes that causes a lot of anxiety because you always had to tell others, read your Bible, and more. When I left that system I lost most of my anxiety though it was not instant.
Yes. I have experienced that, too. Every conversation *had* to be a Gospel-sharing experience, or you were doing something wrong. It made going outside of the house kind of difficult and awkward.
 
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Cormack

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When I was an evangelical of differing stripes that causes a lot of anxiety because you always had to tell others, read your Bible, and more. When I left that system I lost most of my anxiety though it was not instant.

Even when my faith was more conventional, I’d wonder why on Earth the great commission was being taught as a blanket command binding upon every single Christian. I’d think this for reasons both scriptural and practical.

For example, on the practical front, why teach we’re each blessed with different gifts yet shoehorn everyone into the same vocation. A vocation which on many an occasion didn’t suit the person trying to be an evangelist.

The Kingdom of God wasn’t advancing when certain people in our evangelism group stumbled through an awkward (even angry) job of witnessing, it was positively in retreat. Hearts were hardened right before my eyes, though so long as everyone felt the weight of having to go out and win souls the community was satisfied. The toll on a young believers mental state (to be alienation from friends and family by their unskilled evangelistic efforts) is often heavy.

I can see looking back that although I love the social side of meeting strangers and the unpredictability of evangelising, it’s an awful burden put upon some Christians. God wants many of his children to live simple, peaceable lives, playing on their goodwill in an attempt to lure them out of that life into an alien vocation can have devastating consequences on their health and well-being, even harming their relationship with God.

In short it’s like hating their liberty not to go out soul winning, it’s like trying to put them under some kind of bondage.

Question: Does how you imagine God cause your anxiety to worsen?
 
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adderbolt

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How much of your anxiety is due to your theology?
The person (known to me) that is most involved in Christian works is also the most anxious person I know. A retired sister, she puts her time, energy and possessions up for grabs on a 24/7 basis. In the past she had left the church to walk on the wild side for several years before returning to a faith-based life. But she denies that she is trying to work her way into Heaven yet her constant anxiety and a lack of peace seemingly betray a lack of self awareness as concerns this matter.
 
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public hermit

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Question: Does how you imagine God cause your anxiety to worsen?

There’s a long list of the walking wounded here on Christian Forums, posters who are trapped in an awful state of fear about blasphemy, backsliding and many other psychological maladies. But how much of those fears are a byproduct of our views about God being unloving, partial, wrathful, judicial and desirous of justice over mercy?

How much of your anxiety is due to your theology?

I just finished Julian of Norwich and it dispelled the last few vestiges of self-loathing that remained from my "Sunday school" faith. She saw no anger in God, but only love and pity for our condition. For whatever reason reading it put the final nail in the conception of God as vengeful and out to punish, instead of heal. I have been there for a long time, but at this point I am going much deeper in (contemplative) prayer than ever before. It brings so much to the surface and I think it was God's way of saying to me, "Don't give up. This is part of the process. I got you."
 
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anna ~ grace

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I just finished Julian of Norwich and it dispelled the last few vestiges of self-loathing that remained from my "Sunday school" faith. She saw no anger in God, but only love and pity for our condition. For whatever reason reading it put the final nail in the conception of God as vengeful and out to punish, instead of heal. I have been there for a long time, but at this point I am going much deeper in (contemplative) prayer than ever before. It brings so much to the surface and I think it was God's way of saying to me, "Don't give up. This is part of the process. I got you."
Beautiful. Getting into the Divine Mercy revelations has done the same for me. I’m calmer now. Less anxious. I would like to read some Julian of Norwich, too.
 
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Anthony2019

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Beautiful. Getting into the Divine Mercy revelations has done the same for me. I’m calmer now. Less anxious. I would like to read some Julian of Norwich, too.
Julian of Norwich's writings are amazing. I have Revelations of Divine Love on my bookshelf which I always find myself dipping into!
 
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John Mullally

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How much of your anxiety is due to your theology?
The following passage comes to my mind:
Romans 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
His goodness keeps me away from feelings of anxiety towards him when I fail, as I can always turn back to him.

Matthew 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Matthew 10:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Part of the Lord's Prayer
 
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Orchardllc

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I have been on anxiety medication for over ten years. How I have viewed God has definitely had an affect on my level of anxiety. But, having a mature relationship with God has not removed my anxiety. It has made it easier to endure, but anxiety is part of my life.

I don't worry that God will fail me. I don't worry about where I am going when I die. But, my brain is hard wired to worry. I worry about how God will answer prayers not that He won't answer them. I am convinced that God's will is the best for every aspect of my life. Does this remove my anxiety? No. Unfortunately, I still worry about eventually getting sick and dying. I worry about how my finances will be met. I know God will provide in every circumstance. But God doesn't give us the details on how his perfect will is to be accomplished.

I am simply trying to say that my certain faith in God has not removed my need for anxiety medication. I endured extensive, early childhood abuse that lasted up to my teen years. My brain chemistry is just hard wired for stress. God does and can heal. But I am a result of my years of living also. And God has chosen not to heal my anxiety so as not to fundamentally change who I am.

God loves me, I trust him fully. I worry about the details.
Wishing you all peace and blessings! I just wanted to share my experiences with God and anxiety.
 
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Cormack

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God bless @Orchardllc. You’re not alone being hard wired for stress, especially considering what we have to go through sometimes. Your message was well written. I appreciated the point about God not wanting to fundamentally change who you are, that seemed very believable to me. I’m sure others will read that post and seek medical help without feeling shamed for their needs, these conversations stay up long after we’ve forgotten about them. The Lord works through hospitals, talk therapists and innovators of medicine everyday.
 
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