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OCD is destroying my faith... HELP!

Mar 14, 2010
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I didnt read the entire thread so im lacking that insight into your exact situation but I will say that unbelief is an inescapable part of faith. All the great religious figures struggled with it from the apostles to Corey ten boom. Thats why belief and faith are valued so highly they are incredibly difficult to attain if not impossible through human effort alone - its a divine gift if I remember correctly - something which is comes from an external source



Twanning, Maybe a part of you has faith. Your right in saying most of the greatest religious leaders went through it, but what most of them have also said is that Faith isnt about what we feel at the moment. We we see from the classic writings like from John of the cross is that true Faith is an act of the will.

Twanning have you tried any type os exposure-response or ctb therapy?
 
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Thank you Andrew I tried reading psalms but the whole time I had thoughts saying yeah right God isn't real it makes believing harder praying seems to help me more but I've had doubts for about the past hour and I feel like I'm losing my faith...

Worriedone, when is your next appointment with a therapist? I agree with the praying also. It also helps me very much, it seems to take my focus off the thoughts temporarily and to focus them more on the lord.
 
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twannnng

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Mine is returning I have to say after a years roving prodigal.My concept of God is pretty vague because ive never been on good terms with the bible but I believe that faith in Christ can exist beyond the bible. Ultimately God is love and thats where I started. I realised due to some ordeals I was enduring that love is the single most profound force on Earth. Im not talking wishy washy fliffy fluffy love, I mean love that makes people endure torture to the point of death from pain to save the ones they love. Corey ten boom is probably the best example aside from Jesus of that kind of love.
From there on the paths diverge. Some christians would return to the people some would branch out into other faiths. Im at the crossroads still with the Evangelical prejudice towards other faiths but also with a need to explore.
But yeah I just set out to live the best life I could and to make love the be all and end all of everything I did. From there the rest follows - I found that my life itself became an expression of God - in fact very very very few Christians get this and its the core of their faith. The 2 commandements Love God and Love your neighbour.
I doubt that helped - it sounds pretty airy fairy to me but you never know...
 
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Everyone says this is ocd don't worry. Where is the test that says this all ocd-no where. So I don't get the gift of salvation.

Raven, I asked the very same questions too last year, But the gift of salvation doesnt really depend on you. It depends on our understanding of Gods nature. Martin Luther, John Bunyan and Mother Teresa among others were tortured for many years but they all eventually made it through. What they did was Hold onto Jesus even in apparent darkness and relied on his promises to never let one sheep out of his grasp. IF Jesus asked teh father to forgive the people who were crucifying him while on his cross do you think he is gonna let you or worried one or anyone that holds onto him go away?

The Jesus of the bible wont.
The fact that you folks are here trying to fight shows your faith.
 
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TheWorriedOne

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I don't know what to do anymore I just wanna give up im tired of this weird on and off relationship with God. My whole life just sucks right now I want a relationship with God but with all these doubts in my mind and me having some sort of belief or feelings of belief in these thoughts is ruining my life. I don't know why God is letting this happen to me I'm literally losing my faith... I want him but why is he making it so hard for me to be with him? I know it isn't right to question him but I can't take it much more... I'm so tired of OCD it's taking away my faith!
 
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Mine is returning I have to say after a years roving prodigal.My concept of God is pretty vague because ive never been on good terms with the bible but I believe that faith in Christ can exist beyond the bible. Ultimately God is love and thats where I started. I realised due to some ordeals I was enduring that love is the single most profound force on Earth. Im not talking wishy washy fliffy fluffy love, I mean love that makes people endure torture to the point of death from pain to save the ones they love. Corey ten boom is probably the best example aside from Jesus of that kind of love.
From there on the paths diverge. Some christians would return to the people some would branch out into other faiths. Im at the crossroads still with the Evangelical prejudice towards other faiths but also with a need to explore.
But yeah I just set out to live the best life I could and to make love the be all and end all of everything I did. From there the rest follows - I found that my life itself became an expression of God - in fact very very very few Christians get this and its the core of their faith. The 2 commandements Love God and Love your neighbour.
I doubt that helped - it sounds pretty airy fairy to me but you never know...

Sounds you understand the concept of Agape Love pretty well Twanning:)
 
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I'm so scared....

Lord please help our brother in Christ worried one to have a small break from his suffering. Help him know that he isnt alone in this and that you and all his christian brothers and sisters are here anytime he needs us.
IN Christs name we pray
Amen:prayer:
 
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twannnng

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Onething worried one is that I wish I had this kind of support when I went through my crisis. My church my "friends" neither made any effort to welcome me back. In fact I actually went back last new years and the reception couldnt have been more frosty. You have everyone on the forums to work this through with you - you are not alone. If I could only give you some insight into how significant that is. Its what being part of the body of Christ is all about, when one Christian suffers all Christians do. The highest expression of empathy.
 
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Onething worried one is that I wish I had this kind of support when I went through my crisis. My church my "friends" neither made any effort to welcome me back. In fact I actually went back last new years and the reception couldnt have been more frosty. You have everyone on the forums to work this through with you - you are not alone. If I could only give you some insight into how significant that is. Its what being part of the body of Christ is all about, when one Christian suffers all Christians do. The highest expression of empathy.

Twanning you have us now still:)
From you I can sense a strong inner wisdom, a good inner heart:), and you are right, when one christian suffers the whole body of us suffers.
I also had alot of the same problems in church, and I think this is so because many dont understand this or are very fearfull of it. When I first started going through this few good friends wouldnt come near me, and I felt betrayed for a while, but eventually, thanks to all the good people here and on the other forums I started to become a bit stronger, and my other friendswho left me came back to me later and we all made up.
 
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TheWorriedOne

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I was really mad about something "nothing involving religion." and I had the thought "Jesus be ac*****" come across my mind and Christians aren't supposed to say that because if you think something like that or say that you aren't saved I mean this thought came out of nowhere.
 
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Worried one, God has you and raven in his arms right now even though your scrupulous thoughts make it seem like he doesnt.

Worriedone and Raven, I was just reading about the story about the great preacher John Bunyan and this so mirrors you both that its amazing. HE went through what I went through and he also went through having thoughts of blaspheming Jesus and even selling Jesus as well as selling his soul to Satan.

This is classic scuprulosity 100%

Here is the article about John Bunyan, you 2 will see how similar it is to what you both are going through. Im 10000000% sure you both are saved by Christ as our lord fully understands what all of us are going through with this.

John Bunyan’s Battle With Scrupulosity | Lashaun Grum Blog
John Bunyan&rsquos Intrusive, Unwanted Thoughts

Scrupulosity is characterized by additional than continuous doubts about religion. Quite a few sufferers of religious OCD uncover themselves bombarded with intrusive, anxiousness-causing thoughts that they give some thought to to be rather sinful. Bunyan provides a harrowing account of his expertise, including, &ldquoAll my comfort was taken from me then darkness seized upon me just after which, whole floods of blasphemies, both against God, Christ, and the scriptures, had been poured upon my spirit, to my superb confusion and astonishment.&rdquo
Bunyan&rsquos intrusive thoughts first involved skepticism about the fundamentals of Christianity, such as the existence of God and the proof of Christ as Savior. Soon, on the other hand, they developed into outright curses towards God. He writes, &ldquoI frequently identified my mind suddenly put upon it to curse and swear, or to speak some grievous issue against God, or Christ His Son, and of the scriptures.&rdquo
Bunyan is not alone in his encounter, as several other sufferers of scrupulosity have observed themselves besieged by thoughts that go against their will. Even though such thoughts are involuntary and caused by OCD, thus producing them sinless, those who experience them might feel that they are sinning horribly against God. As a result, the scrupulous may well uncover themselves apologizing excessively whenever such a believed arrives. For Bunyan, the thoughts appeared to be evidence of his lack of adore towards God.
For more on the intrusive thoughts related to scrupulosity, take into consideration reading the article &ldquoAfraid of Your Own Thoughts?.&rdquo
John Bunyan&rsquos Unwanted Thoughts About Selling Christ

One of the writer&rsquos most pronounced episodes of scrupulosity came when he was vexed with intrusive thoughts about selling Christ, in one form or a further. These thoughts became overwhelming for him, as Bunyan &ldquocould neither consume my food, stoop for a pin, chop a stick, or cast mine eye to look on this or that, but nevertheless the temptation would come, Sell Christ for this, or sell Christ for that sell Him, sell Him.&rdquo
At some point, Bunyan feels that he consented to the want: &ldquoI felt this thought pass as a result of my heart, Let Him go, if He will and I thought also, that I felt my heart freely consent thereto.&rdquo
If not for Bunyan&rsquos obsessive-compulsive disorder, the writer could have apologized for consenting, regained his relationship with Christ and continued on with his life. The extreme nature of his OCD, nonetheless, triggered this single occurrence to plague him for two years.
Bunyan felt that he had committed an unpardonable sin in letting Christ go, therefore causing two years of grief. Those with scrupulosity usually give some thought to their offenses to be worse than other people may perhaps perceive them, as was the situation here.
Some Christians may well feel that they alone have an overwhelming worry of sin, intense anxiousness about religious topics and frequent intrusive thoughts. In reality, John Bunyan &ndash and many other Christians &ndash have struggled with the pretty exact same problem. And unlike Bunyan, religious OCD suffers today can locate powerful treatment for their condition.
 
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raven1

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The thing is, is no one can know whether I am going to hell or not so I just have to wait and see if I am in hell or just sleeping forever. Neither one do I want. This stinks. I can't know for sure this is ocd or unbelief
So I can't know where my soul is going
 
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TheWorriedOne

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yeah these are the thoughts im struggling with what really bothers me is Christians arent supposed to be able to say that although I thought it and didnt say it it still bothers me because I thought it. I have another question on a new thread will someone go answer that please?
 
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