please answer...

[Caty]

if I hear something obscene or dirty I know that a thought is gonna happen so I start getting anxious, then it happens. Does anyone else do that. Or I will hear something bad or something bad will come into my mind, and I’ll relate it to something bad about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. Then I will feel horrible and condemned. Does anybody ever do that?? Someone please answer this next question, I don’t want the thoughts but I feel like I do, because of the way they happen. It’s not like I’m just riding down the road and they start, if I hear something bad it’s like my mind relates it to God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. Does anyone else do that?? So how do I know I don’t want them???

 

[frank1234]

The dilema of OCD sufferers is that the very thing they care the most(you care so much not to think/say anything obscene), that your fears/anxieties actually push you toward thinking/saying them. You have to remember that we as Christians live under grace of God despite our being in this sinful bodies still. Other Christians that don't have OCD actually think or might say those things too, but the difference is that because they don't obsessed about the thought/have understood that they live by grace, therefore to them it is not a big deal.The way to deal with this issue(I think), is to get to a place where you really don't care too much weather you think/say those things at all because you know it's not you that is thinking/saying them, but your sinful nature. That is what Romans chapter 7 is about, where Paul describes that the very thing he does not want to do, this, he keeps on doing. So basiclly he knew that as long as he is in this sinful body, he is going to do/say the things that he does not want to do/say, and God is only looking at him through the lens of The Blood of Jesus. Look at Romans 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...". That means when God looks at us(with all our sinfullness and thoughts), He sees us washed and His sons and daughters, not condemned.So, the next time you hear something obscene from some body, just know that It wasn't you who said but it was them who said it, and If you hear those words repeated in your head, know that it's your sinful nature that is thinking about those things, not you. In your heart you really care about God and Jesus, that's all it matters.I hope this helps.
God be with you.

 

[kaykay9.0]

Like Frank said, Caty, it's just fear of doing that which cause it. Because you DON"t want to do it so badly...if that makes sense. It's like telling someone to absolutely not, whatever they do think of green monkeys. Then all they can think about is green monkeys and trying not to think about green monkeys. Make sense!

 

[zingiber]

Caty, I understand exactly. That used to happen to me (still it does a little). For example I hear a bad word, and my mind will, very predictably, use that as obsession fodder. My thoughts in this regard were really horrible, and sometimes it comes back in bouts. One, in fact, while reading this, but it went quickly. At the moment I am pretty much over it, and have been for a while. I found that when I distracted myself, the blasphemous thoughts went. Whenever I was deeply involved with my books or the garden, I was fine. I realised that the best way to get rid of the thoughts is not to try to get rid of them. I could actually watch myself, and see the frequency of thoughts increase as I paid more attention to them. Pretty good example of circular and cumulative causation. Anyway, It seems pretty obvious that you do not want these thoughts, because you want to get rid of them!
Seriously, the only way out is to stop fighting. My best advice is to try to keep yourself busy, and focused on things that interest you or require mental energy, and hopefully you'll notice that it helps. I will be praying for you, and do not forget to pray for yourself!

 

[Caty]

thank you all for so much support...i still worry about them...i went today, for the first time in a long time with out that many thoughts, because of what you all said. it helped set me free some. but then i started freaking out, thinking maybe my heart was being hardened because i hadn't worried about them & because i actually felt normal for once...then of course they have started again. please pray for me.

 

[kaykay9.0]

thank you all for so much support...i still worry about them...i went today, for the first time in a long time with out that many thoughts, because of what you all said. it helped set me free some. but then i started freaking out, thinking maybe my heart was being hardened because i hadn't worried about them & because i actually felt normal for once...then of course they have started again. please pray for me.

Yep, that tends to be how OCD opearates...you start worrying cuz you're not worrying!No, Caty, this, too, is just part of it. Continue to ignore the thoughts and as much as possible "just let them be" and not obsess & ruminate over them. This is one of the very best ways to eliminate them.

Have you ever looked at that www.ocdonline.com by Dr. Phillipson. It's not from a Christian perspective but it has a ton of good insight about OCD. I would suggest you take a look if you haven't already.

 

[Caty]

i've told my mom and she got me an app. to a counsler...i've talked to a pastor and he assures me that God will not punish me for my thoughts...so i'm feeling some better today...i just want to move on and get closer to God...i wish didn't have this & never went through it. i just hope when i asked Jesus into my life the first time i did it right, i've asked so many times,,,i can't remember them all.

 

[kaykay9.0]

i've told my mom and she got me an app. to a counsler...i've talked to a pastor and he assures me that God will not punish me for my thoughts...so i'm feeling some better today...i just want to move on and get closer to God...i wish didn't have this & never went through it. i just hope when i asked Jesus into my life the first time i did it right, i've asked so many times,,,i can't remember them all.

Glad you are getting some help!

Yes, OCD struggles can have you asking Jesus into your life 10 times a day or more! Trying to get it right!:o This is soooo...OCD ish, believe me! I did that too years ago. Like PJ said above, Jesus is not exacting some type of formula. Really, prayer is not what saves us. Faith is. Prayer is just kind of the means that we express our faith to the Lord and our intent to follow Him. Does that make sense?

 

[Caty]

but i don't think i;ve ever had faith...ive always doubted somehow. i've wanted Jesus & God...but i don't think i've ever had faith...i've always been scared or something or doubting or something like that.

 

[kaykay9.0]

but i don't think i;ve ever had faith...ive always doubted somehow. i've wanted Jesus & God...but i don't think i've ever had faith...i've always been scared or something or doubting or something like that.

Well, I think it takes faith to even want to come to Jesus and make a commitment of your life. It's the OCD tendency that makes us over analyze everything...even whether we have faith or not.

 

[keryakos]

Caty i dont want to confuse you but it is the fault of the church for putting too much emphasis on the sinners prayer ..the sinners prayer never saves anyone it never has and it never will ..but it is taught ad naseum that it does
it cannot save you ..

and i know there are those who say yea i know that but we its just a way to come to Christ .. but that means if that is true then salvation is not free because we had to do something in order to get it ,,

There is nothing wrong with it unless we believe that we must do it in the first place in order to be saved .

a pastor told me once that if a person could not speak that they he believed that that had to make some sort of physical motion in order to respond ..that is silly .because if that is true then it was Christs blood and his response that saved him ...that can't be ..

So i believe that part of the problem here is bad theology ..one that says we are saved by grace alone but yet we must perform an act of obedience in order to be saved ,

you might as well say that you must be baptized in order to be saved ..because it is really the same thing .

 

[Caty]

i've said that so many times...and i haven't had faith so i guess i'm not saved then...and if i've committed the unforgivable sin then i cannot be...the Bible says that we might as well speak our thoughts or something like that. i've doubted if God exist, if God was our God and not a God that other religions say...i've doubted SO much. i'm worried that because i've thought about my thoughts that i've entertained them and that means that i cannot be forgiven.

 

[kaykay9.0]

i've said that so many times...and i haven't had faith so i guess i'm not saved then...and if i've committed the unforgivable sin then i cannot be...the Bible says that we might as well speak our thoughts or something like that. i've doubted if God exist, if God was our God and not a God that other religions say...i've doubted SO much. i'm worried that because i've thought about my thoughts that i've entertained them and that means that i cannot be forgiven.

I know I keep saying this...but this is all just signs of OCD, nothing unforgivable, Caty. Most all of us have been through these kind of things. That's why sometimes OCD is called "The Doubting Disease." OCD causes doubt to latch onto whatever it can.

 

[Caty]

but if i've thought about the thoughts then i've entertained them...which means i've sinned the unpardonable.if i've never really asked God into my life with faith then im not saved. im so tired....i cannot stop crying...im so scared now.

 

[keryakos]

but if i've thought about the thoughts then i've entertained them...which means i've sinned the unpardonable.if i've never really asked God into my life with faith then im not saved. im so tired....i cannot stop crying...im so scared now.

NO Caty listen entertaining means taking pleasure in them ..you are not doing that that is obvious .

And regarding asking in faith the point i was making was if you didn't say anything at all but placed youre faith in Christ then he would save you prayer or no prayer ,,

 

[kaykay9.0]

Caty, thinking over thoughts we've had or "entertaining" them has nothing to do with the unpardonable sin. Like keryakos said, you don't WANT them or ENJOY them.

I don't think we have to have some kind of "perfect faith" to come to God. I think the fact that we believe in Him, believe He died for our sins and we want to follow Him IS biblical faith.

And yes, keryakos and I were both saying that you can be saved just by believing in Jesus, like he just said, prayer or no prayer.

 

[keryakos]

Caty, thinking over thoughts we've had or "entertaining" them has nothing to do with the unpardonable sin.

I don't think we have to have some kind of "perfect faith" to come to God. I think the fact that we believe in Him, believe He died for our sins and we want to follow Him IS biblical faith.

And yes, keryakos and I were both saying that you can be saved just by believing in Jesus, like he just said, prayer or no prayer.

Yes its placing youre faith in him and not in our ability to trust him ..

 

[Caty]

What if I’m not genuinely repenting…if I don’t want to be or think something and I want God, is that repentance to not want to do something and to want to change??? Today has been terrible, I don’t want to be this way…but what if God has withdrawn from me and I don’t have a heart of repentance. I'm so scared now...i've been thinking about it.

 

[keryakos]

What if I’m not genuinely repenting…if I don’t want to be or think something and I want God, is that repentance to not want to do something and to want to change??? Today has been terrible, I don’t want to be this way…but what if God has withdrawn from me and I don’t have a heart of repentance. I'm so scared now...i've been thinking about it.

i think you need to take a break and just believe as best as you can that God knows what is going on with you and that we will lead you to the answers that you need ..but if you keep going like this you will have a nervous breakdown .so for youre sake i know its really difficult but you need to find a distraction for just a while calm down then come back to this when you are rested because right now you are getting to a point of not thinking clearly ..

 

[Caty]

but if i want God and do not want to think such things will he forgive me?? I need to know really. I'm afraid because I'm thinking these things that maybe I'm not really repenting. please answer.