Gives us faith why would he not give it to everyone why are some people OCD doubters and regular doubters they don't want to doubt why didn't they get faith?
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Is it True God
- Thread starter raven1
- Start date
SoldierOfSoul
Senior Veteran
That is one of those questions that no one can answer as matter of fact. We do know that God gives a measure of faith to all His children...some more than others. Personally I pray everyday that He would strengthen my weak faith.
We all commit sins and invite unbelief in our lives, but we also suffer from chronic doubt as with OCD (in different respects) these two reasons for doubt should be separated in our minds. Many times doubts will appear because we refuse to submit or believe a certain part of God's word, or we refuse to give up a particular sin that we know is making us fall short, God will not bless the life of unbelief nor the life of one who lives in sin. I have experienced this personally. Throughout the bible the call for repentance is always preached in unison with call for belief: "Repent ye and believe the gospel" is the cry of the apostles.
Saying that, in concern of OCD, it is true that nothing comes into our lives without God's sovereign approval, but we also have the promise that whatever God allows in our lives will also be for our eternal good. Raven, the place you need to come to is when you trust that God is in control and not your OCD. Does God tell the truth about Himself and you or is ultimate truth found in the electronic thought receptors of your brain?
OCD is not the final authority on your salvation nor the existence of God and your doubts do nothing to sway God's love for your soul. You suffer (I suffer, we all suffer) but remember so did Christ and He did it willingly for our salvation. You are eternally loved and secure in His mighty hands, He will gladly give you assurance as you reach out in faith towards Him. Believe this truth and not the false reality of you own brain.
We all commit sins and invite unbelief in our lives, but we also suffer from chronic doubt as with OCD (in different respects) these two reasons for doubt should be separated in our minds. Many times doubts will appear because we refuse to submit or believe a certain part of God's word, or we refuse to give up a particular sin that we know is making us fall short, God will not bless the life of unbelief nor the life of one who lives in sin. I have experienced this personally. Throughout the bible the call for repentance is always preached in unison with call for belief: "Repent ye and believe the gospel" is the cry of the apostles.
Saying that, in concern of OCD, it is true that nothing comes into our lives without God's sovereign approval, but we also have the promise that whatever God allows in our lives will also be for our eternal good. Raven, the place you need to come to is when you trust that God is in control and not your OCD. Does God tell the truth about Himself and you or is ultimate truth found in the electronic thought receptors of your brain?
OCD is not the final authority on your salvation nor the existence of God and your doubts do nothing to sway God's love for your soul. You suffer (I suffer, we all suffer) but remember so did Christ and He did it willingly for our salvation. You are eternally loved and secure in His mighty hands, He will gladly give you assurance as you reach out in faith towards Him. Believe this truth and not the false reality of you own brain.
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I geT scared it is not OCD doubt no one can tell it is fir sure also I never had faith I just always truly believed I never thought I can't prove it but I will just belive I just always believed now I believe he could exist but scared he doesn't cause that means no heaven. I want either believe again like I did or say I can't prove it but I believe but I can't I just doubt because I fear no afterlife I cant just say well I will believe it anyway because it is a ver scary thing I can't just have faith it is there. How will God forgive me for having nO faith.
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Mr. Runningfish
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How does God forive you? (and even me!?) I don't know. The most complex and yet the most simple is that He is God. There is nothing beyond his possibility. If you accept Jesus, then He doesn't just forgive your sins, He forgets them! So you are forgiven. No matter how much doubt you have, He has infinitely more love and forgiveness for you.
I wish I knew what to say to make you believe this, but unfortunately I've been there and it can be very hard. But it sounds to me like you keep trying, everyday. If you didn't have faith, you wouldn't try.
I said a prayer for you Raven. ::hugs::
I wish I knew what to say to make you believe this, but unfortunately I've been there and it can be very hard. But it sounds to me like you keep trying, everyday. If you didn't have faith, you wouldn't try.
I said a prayer for you Raven. ::hugs::
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Thank u are u the one that said u doubted God ur whole life. I have terrible memory. Do u have OCD why don't u fear he will send u to hell?How cani accept him if I can't fully believe he I'd there everyone says u choose faith it is something just choose inspite of no evidence. I can't do I went just full believe there was no I don't know for sure but I believe anyway I just believed never had to have faith now I doubt and cant just have faith. WHY?!!!! My does this happen to people that they doubt. It is not fair and I can't even know it is OCD doubt and not regular doubt. I want to know how is possible to just have faith. Why can't I just have faith!!!!!!!I have heard if u lose it u never had it or God chooses who goes to hell :,( WHY
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Mr. Runningfish
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Yes. I doubted my whole life, and I still do at times. But... for the last month or so that hasn't really been something I obsess about. I can't explain it. I guess, I try to keep it in as much perspective as I can. He's a BIG God. I have faith, maybe not as much as the next, and I might have more doubt too, but the God who created the universe? That's really nothing too him. I try to accept that what the Bible says about him is true, and he has given his word to us, so that we can be saved. Some days I have doubts, some days I do. But I don't give up praying, I never cease.
Sometimes I don't sleep at night because I just pray pray pray. But for moments when I don't worry about faith, and my doubt isn't as strong as it has in the past, a missed nights sleep is worth it.
Sometimes I don't sleep at night because I just pray pray pray. But for moments when I don't worry about faith, and my doubt isn't as strong as it has in the past, a missed nights sleep is worth it.
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SoldierOfSoul
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I would never say that, there is more than enough evidence for the Christian faith, I have yet to find ANY evidence to the contrary that could not be refuted through archaeological, biblical and factual inquiry.
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I know soldier of soul that what people say I want to believe it but I haven't seen heaven or God with my own eyes! I want more than anything to believe I don't understand why I can't. I just doubt what I don't have tangible evidence of I wish I could just get dome information that could prove it but I just doubt everything.
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SoldierOfSoul
Senior Veteran
Did you ever read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis that I told you about awhile back?
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SoldierOfSoul
Senior Veteran
He was an atheist before he became a Christian, I thought it would help you, he is a great apologist for the half-convinced.
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This stinks worse anything ever has. I never finish all the books I start on apologetics because I start doubting maybe I should just read and read. I don't see the point though I know I will doubt unless I see God himself. He is never going to forgive me. I just keep thinking the bible could be made up. I feel like it is nit fair I can't control the fact that I doubt even if it isn't OCD doubt anymore than I could control if I got the flu.
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SoldierOfSoul
Senior Veteran
I have quoted this before to you but it is one of my favorite definitions on faith:
“Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods”
-C.S. Lewis
Whatever faith you have just try and hold onto it no matter what.
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SoldierOfSoul
Senior Veteran
Not necessarily, you have a disorder that makes you doubt chronically. It may also have some basis in you finally questioning your beliefs that you used to so easily hold onto. The thing is, even if God were to speak to you or even show up in your room you would still doubt. Your mind would say "oh that didn't just happen" or "I must be hearing things".
Faith comes through the word of God and submitting our intellect and reason to it.
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
"For to us was the gospel preached, as well as to them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." (Hebrews 4:2)
Raven, why did Christ die? The bible makes the claim that it was to atone for the sins of man and to bring us unto renewed fellowship with our Creator. Is this what you believe? We can take Jesus at His word or call Him a liar, when it comes down to faith it is a matter of what we choose to believe about Jesus. Who was He, or better yet who is He and where is He now (is He alive or dead)?
Again I go back to C.S. Lewis:
"I am trying to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I am ready to accept Jesus as the great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a boiled egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
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Well we've discussed this before, but I'll say it again. Doubt does not mean that you're an agnostic.
It feels very hard to just let it all go, which makes it feel like you've given up all faith, when really, even if you only have a little of it, you have shown that you do have faith.
I do have a question for you though: What are you afraid of? I mean, obviously you're afraid that there might not be a heaven and that you might not be saved because you have such doubts, but why would it be hard for you to just say to yourself, "well, I don't know how to prove it, but I'm just going to choose to believe in Jesus"? (since that would be an obvious indictor of faith)
Are you afraid that, if it isn't true, you would be believing a lie? Are you afraid that you just can't say something like that and mean it? Do you feel like you have to completely logically prove to yourself that there is a heaven?
I mean, it's obvious that you want to believe without any scary doubts, so why is it so difficult to just make the objective decision to believe? Do you think that you have to "feel" a certain way in order to believe? Do you think that having true faith means that you don't have any doubts whatsoever?
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If I say that I am telling a lie to myself and God knows it is not the truth and as far as the heaven thing goes I can't just believe and have faith because I am so afraid of just taking a dirt nap and no more seeing my little girl or anyone again.
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There is also the fact I dont know if this ocd or regular doubt to me one is a impardonable sin even though I dont think I can control normal or ocd doubt.
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So you're afraid of dying and just being gone if there is no heaven? If there is no heaven, then there's nothing you can do anyway.
Also, trying to determine between "OCD doubt" and "non-OCD doubt" can be a real pain as far as stress goes. The fact that you are experiencing the amount of stress that you are, and because of the way you're processing this all, it's obvious to me that the majority of this is OCD. I'm not saying that there isn't a component that involves real doubt, because there was for me and there probably is one for you, but trying to discern between the two when you're in the heat of your OCD is impossible. I only started to get better when I started being easier on myself (and when I started taking meds. Big help there!).
And it's obvious that you're doubting even what we on this board have told you about doubt. That is, that doubt doesn't mean that God has taken away your salvation or whatever. That's understandable, since the doubts are so disturbing and feel so real and horrific. However, I must say that one of the biggest realizations that I came to that helped me start to get better was the realization that my doubts didn't represent the part of me that determined what I believed. In other words, the doubts were there, but it wasn't like I became convinced of another belief. I did everything that I could to cling on to what I had always believed, which showed me that, even with all of the doubts, I still had faith. Our faith, after all, is proven by our actions, and my actions reflected that of faith.
The same applies to you.
Also, trying to determine between "OCD doubt" and "non-OCD doubt" can be a real pain as far as stress goes. The fact that you are experiencing the amount of stress that you are, and because of the way you're processing this all, it's obvious to me that the majority of this is OCD. I'm not saying that there isn't a component that involves real doubt, because there was for me and there probably is one for you, but trying to discern between the two when you're in the heat of your OCD is impossible. I only started to get better when I started being easier on myself (and when I started taking meds. Big help there!).
And it's obvious that you're doubting even what we on this board have told you about doubt. That is, that doubt doesn't mean that God has taken away your salvation or whatever. That's understandable, since the doubts are so disturbing and feel so real and horrific. However, I must say that one of the biggest realizations that I came to that helped me start to get better was the realization that my doubts didn't represent the part of me that determined what I believed. In other words, the doubts were there, but it wasn't like I became convinced of another belief. I did everything that I could to cling on to what I had always believed, which showed me that, even with all of the doubts, I still had faith. Our faith, after all, is proven by our actions, and my actions reflected that of faith.
The same applies to you.
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Is God going to forgive me if isnt OCD doubt? I heard someone yesterday that we have more than enough proof God exists for we have no basis in denying it and today my mind is trying to figure if I am mostly atheist or far away from it. It is like I have to know but I will never completely deny he because I fear hell and I will still pray to him in hopes he is there and worship him so hopefully I won't go to hell but is going to say go away u didn't believe fully? No one knows for sure.Ocd owie today I felt consumed with making myself atheist or agnostic like I want that.
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