Ocd???

[Caty]

I have a question. Okay so a year or so ago I made a celebrity an Idol. I bought a couple books and magazine on that person. So should I destroy these things like it says to do in the Bible? I don’t know if it’s my OCD telling me this stuff or what. But I read about Idols and it scared me because I realized I made this person an Idol. I keep feeling like God cannot forgive me if I don’t get rid of the two books or magazines. Then I think about my OCD, and think that’s not the case and maybe I should keep the two books and magazines because one day they could be worth something? If I'm not making this person and Idol and have asked for forgivness is it okay to have the stuff? I'm so confused.It’s driving me crazy. Can someone help answer this for me?

 

[Jayangel81]

I have a question. Okay so a year or so ago I made a celebrity an Idol. I bought a couple books and magazine on that person. So should I destroy these things like it says to do in the Bible? I don’t know if it’s my OCD telling me this stuff or what. But I read about Idols and it scared me because I realized I made this person an Idol. I keep feeling like God cannot forgive me if I don’t get rid of the two books or magazines. Then I think about my OCD, and think that’s not the case and maybe I should keep the two books and magazines because one day they could be worth something? If I'm not making this person and Idol and have asked for forgivness is it okay to have the stuff? I'm so confused.It’s driving me crazy. Can someone help answer this for me?

The first thing you need to do is confess, repent and ask the Lord Jesus for forgivness, than what you need to do is forgive yourself.

Believe in your heart that you are forgiven and cleansed


My question to you is, are having these books a stumbling block for you, what I am asking you is, is there a chance by having these books will cause you in the future to fall back into Idolotry??

It can be an ocd obsession, when in doubt, pray to the Lord Jesus and ask Him what He thinks, let Him speak into your heart dear one and let Him decide for you.

He may want you to get rid of it soley based on temptations and the chance of you falling back into it, but you will not know until you really seek special time with the Lord and find out what He says.

Idolotry, I am afraid at this time and age, is so easy to slip into..it is rather frightening.

Pray beloved

Only our Father can really tell you what to do, but whatever the reason is, it is for the best.

 

[dabro]

If it's more important then god then yes it could be a idole but i do things sometimes that seem i don't have time for god so i make that mistake thats a hard question really because you seem so concerned with it but do you think that you get rid of that that maybe it will take another form . i really don't know just try to ask god whether he fills that way or not.

 

[dabro]

jay you and i were speaking at the same time

 

[Caty]

Thanks for helping me. I feel that I am over it. I just didn't know if God could forgive me if I kept the books? With OCD I cannot trust what I think anymore. I can say to myself the exact same things you all tell me on here, but I feel better when it comes from somebody else. I really want to move on with my life and worship God but this fear stays with me and a couple other things tell me I can't until I do this or that. So if I have asked God for forgivness, and forgiven myself for it, then He forgives me? I don't have to rid them for forgivness?

 

[dabro]

i really can't relate to that theme but the holy spirit is gentil thats ocd my dear.im not going to put myself in a place to say it's alright to sin and i wouldn't do that to you i just think your ocd latched onto that and now your obsessing god loves you so much the price you owe him is already paid proclaim in the lord that you refuse to let this fear consume you i know it's easier said then don but i'll pray for u that god will give you the peace that you need.

 

[Jayangel81]

god loves you so much the price you owe him is already paid proclaim in the lord that you refuse to let this fear consume you i know it's easier said then don but i'll pray for u that god will give you the peace that you need.

Amen Dabro

Thanks for helping me. I feel that I am over it. I just didn't know if God could forgive me if I kept the books? With OCD I cannot trust what I think anymore. I can say to myself the exact same things you all tell me on here, but I feel better when it comes from somebody else. I really want to move on with my life and worship God but this fear stays with me and a couple other things tell me I can't until I do this or that. So if I have asked God for forgivness, and forgiven myself for it, then He forgives me? I don't have to rid them for forgivness?

Jesus paid for your sins already. What I was talking about as far as getting rid of them was if they would bring you back into making it an Idol for you, than yes if there is that chance, get rid of it.

 

[Caty]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it.

 

[keryakos]

caty i agree with Jay ..

 

[Inklingchick]

With OCD I cannot trust what I think anymore. I can say to myself the exact same things you all tell me on here, but I feel better when it comes from somebody else. I really want to move on with my life and worship God but this fear stays with me and a couple other things tell me I can't until I do this or that.

This sounds so familiar, Katy...<smile>.

I don't know what you should do, but it sounds like even if there's a real moral issue underneath, you're processing the moral issue OCDishly, you know? This is what's so annoying-- one doesn't want to just dismiss all conscience pangs, just because OCD sometimes feels like conscience, but one also doesn't want to live in self-imposed legalism.

It will be all right, Katy...God is bigger than this.

S

 

[Inklingchick]

Rats! I misspelled your name. Sorry.

 

[psalm_139]

I definitely know that it can be hard to see through the fog of OCD, wondering if it's just that that's making you think and feel a certain way, or if God or the Holy Spirit is speaking to you. Even though it might be a hard thing to do, and I know, it is my belief that getting rid of any idols in one's life is a very important act of submission and surrender to God. It's basically saying "You, God, are more important than anything in this world, and if anything is causing me to focus more on it and in doing so causing almost a sort of worship, then I want nothing to do with it". At the same time, I don't believe God will cast you aside for not listening to His call to give something up. He might be dissapointed that you chose not to listen, but he still will love you. Love looks past actions and sins. But I do think it's important to seriously think about giving things up that are or have become idols. My Brother felt God wanted him to give up some CD's becuase the music was becoming an idol. He was just hearbroken, and he said he actually cried when he gave them up--which doesn't come often with him- but he felt SUCH peace afterwards, becuase he listened to God's call to remove that idol from his life. I KNOW it can be rough, I know firsthand how hard it is to give things up, but girl, it is SO liberating. Seek God's will, ask him to make things clear for you. It's crazy tough to try to listen to him through the curtain of OCD,but it's so vitally important.

 

[Caty]

I definitely know that it can be hard to see through the fog of OCD, wondering if it's just that that's making you think and feel a certain way, or if God or the Holy Spirit is speaking to you. Even though it might be a hard thing to do, and I know, it is my belief that getting rid of any idols in one's life is a very important act of submission and surrender to God. It's basically saying "You, God, are more important than anything in this world, and if anything is causing me to focus more on it and in doing so causing almost a sort of worship, then I want nothing to do with it". At the same time, I don't believe God will cast you aside for not listening to His call to give something up. He might be dissapointed that you chose not to listen, but he still will love you. Love looks past actions and sins. But I do think it's important to seriously think about giving things up that are or have become idols. My Brother felt God wanted him to give up some CD's becuase the music was becoming an idol. He was just hearbroken, and he said he actually cried when he gave them up--which doesn't come often with him- but he felt SUCH peace afterwards, becuase he listened to God's call to remove that idol from his life. I KNOW it can be rough, I know firsthand how hard it is to give things up, but girl, it is SO liberating. Seek God's will, ask him to make things clear for you. It's crazy tough to try to listen to him through the curtain of OCD,but it's so vitally important.

I've given up the idol, but I still have the books. I guess that's what my fear was. That God would cast me aside or couldn't forgive me. I also didn't want to "give into my OCD" because I'm trying to overcome it. So I was very confused on what to do.

 

[psalm_139]

hm. yeah that makes sense. I totally see how that can confusing. I know that giving into the OCD just makes things worse, but submitting to God is important. It's hard to know when OCD mixes with spiritual matters. The best I can say is pray. Pray that God will break through the fog in your mind and show you truth, show you what you need to do. If you don't feel like the books are an idol AT ALL anymore, then I would say just leave it. God knows your heart and knows the struggle you have with OCD and how it messes with your mind. He knows you want to serve Him, but are very confused. I have been learning that He is a VERY patient God. I've been reading in the old testament, and have noticed something special. The isrealistes turned away from God times and time and times again. Each time God would let them to thier other Gods, allowing them to do so. But when they turned back to Him and asked for deliverance, God showed mercy and love, time after time after time by delivering them and helping them defeat thier enemies. What that says to me is that God is so merciful and so living, that no matter how many times we screw up, no matter what we do, he is always willing to show mercy, and He always loves us, becuase love isn't fueled by what we do. God will never, EVER cast you asidehe will ALWAYS forgive. he knows your struggle with OCD and thart your brain is not functioning normally (I mean this in the most scientific way possible). I know it's hard to see these things through the fog of OCD, but is is SO true. I hope you find a way to effectively deal with this issue, cause it definitely sounds rough.

 

[Caty]

Thank You.

 

[hisbloodformysins]

I have a question. Okay so a year or so ago I made a celebrity an Idol. I bought a couple books and magazine on that person. So should I destroy these things like it says to do in the Bible? I don’t know if it’s my OCD telling me this stuff or what. But I read about Idols and it scared me because I realized I made this person an Idol. I keep feeling like God cannot forgive me if I don’t get rid of the two books or magazines. Then I think about my OCD, and think that’s not the case and maybe I should keep the two books and magazines because one day they could be worth something? If I'm not making this person and Idol and have asked for forgivness is it okay to have the stuff? I'm so confused.It’s driving me crazy. Can someone help answer this for me?

This reminds me of an experience I had in my past... i went to a christian youth convention and my youth pastor's wife bought me one of those popular cross neclaces... but my OCD told me that I was making it replace Jesus so I threw it away...

along with an old jewelry box with keepsakes in it, pictures I cannot replace because I felt I had to. I still regret doing it till this day... but the ocd and those obsessions... it's hard to get rid of it.

I have relied on a scripture in phillipians a lot that states that "whatever is not clear to me, he will make clear to me"... sometime I might take the time actually type the scripture out and look it up... but that particular scripture helped me a lot with OCD tendencies.... because right now you have doubt and are not sure... but you can trust that God does not condemn you and you can trust him to make all things clear to you.... try not to obsess about it... I know it's easier said then done.... I guess it's helped me have scripture brought to my heart over and over and over again over the years that had helped confirm my faith and set me free. If there is any good thing... any comforting thing the lord gives you... try to hang onto that and meditate on it... not on the things that would condemn you.... I had also been set free from the scriptures at the END of romans chapter 8... I think i have them listed in my profile as my favorite verses... but it has to do with God being the justifier and "who can condemn"

HB

 

[hisbloodformysins]

hm. yeah that makes sense. I totally see how that can confusing. I know that giving into the OCD just makes things worse, but submitting to God is important. It's hard to know when OCD mixes with spiritual matters. The best I can say is pray. Pray that God will break through the fog in your mind and show you truth, show you what you need to do. If you don't feel like the books are an idol AT ALL anymore, then I would say just leave it. God knows your heart and knows the struggle you have with OCD and how it messes with your mind. He knows you want to serve Him, but are very confused. I have been learning that He is a VERY patient God. I've been reading in the old testament, and have noticed something special. The isrealistes turned away from God times and time and times again. Each time God would let them to thier other Gods, allowing them to do so. But when they turned back to Him and asked for deliverance, God showed mercy and love, time after time after time by delivering them and helping them defeat thier enemies. What that says to me is that God is so merciful and so living, that no matter how many times we screw up, no matter what we do, he is always willing to show mercy, and He always loves us, becuase love isn't fueled by what we do. God will never, EVER cast you asidehe will ALWAYS forgive. he knows your struggle with OCD and thart your brain is not functioning normally (I mean this in the most scientific way possible). I know it's hard to see these things through the fog of OCD, but is is SO true. I hope you find a way to effectively deal with this issue, cause it definitely sounds rough.

Yes, it is important to obey God HOWEVER this is not about obedience but rather feeling controlled by a compulsion and feeling condemned because you like something and you have anxiety on overdrive. I think it is an OCD thing.....

like this writer said... God is patient, he is loving and merciful and he understands.

If it were me, I'd pray a prayer like "Ok God, listen, you know I love you and that I am willing to obey you no matter what... but this isn't about obedience right now but rather it's about confusion.... I cannot trust my thinking... because if I get rid of these things to honor you, i fear i'm letting a compulsion control me, but if I keep them then i'm afraid of disobeying you... so this is the decision i'm going to make (fill in the blank) and I am relying on your tender love and mercy and understanding and I trust you to make this truly clear to me... I trust that you are bigger then this disease and are more then able to conquer what plagues me"

Then when fear comes back again to bother you about your decision, whatever that decision is... I'd reaffirm my faith in his pending deliverance... and say a prayer such as "lord, thank you for answering that prayer.." "thank you lord that you heard me and I know you will deliver me"..

i've prayed that prayer time and time again.. sometimes I forgot what I prayed about so I'd make a list.. and if I wasn't sure if I had already prayed about it I referred back to that list and if that particular need was already on the list that I already prayed, instead of asking for it again, i'd just make a statement of faith "thank lord for hearing me about this and delivering me"

God proved himself faithful time and time again.

This relies heavily on Philipians chp. 4 where it says "do not be anxious for ANYTHING, but in EVERYTHING offer prayers, supplications AND thanksgiving and the peace of God that transends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ"

Amen!