The Key to defeating OCD

[jc9992]

Hi It's me J.C., i havent been on in a few months and im not sure if anyone here remembers me, but anyway I thought i'd stop by to say a few things.

As ive been reading these posts on the board today,i can completely relate to many of them however i know that this board past is a thing of the past for me.

I still struggle,sometimes i have very tough days,but in the end it doesnt matter because I'm saved. Back in October and November i was growing very well spiritually after a life changing experience, but unfortunately my own personal problems began to take that away.I haven't been the same since then, but thats not to say I'm not doing well at times. Im not in church on the count of relocation,i sin more than i should,i forget to pray quite often, and its rare that I take the time to read the Bible.

So in otherwords its mostly my fault that im not growing spiritually and thats where OCD comes in. The good news though is that whenever im doing good spiritually e.g.(praying,reading the Bible accordingly) the OCD thoughts and compulsions are barely a problem.

You may be wondering what I mean by all of this. Well its simple OCD is the absence of God in my life and God is the absence of OCD.

If you think im an idiot or out of line saying this. Thats OK, I understand. But it really is that simple. Picture this. your outside at night and you cant hear anything but the sound of crickets when suddenly a plane flies over and completely drowns them out. Now picture OCD as the crickets and God as the plane. Now you see where im going with this.

Let me make it clear that i am NOT saying that OCD is a spiritual problem, but the key to removing OCD from your life is without a doubt GOD'S AWESOME POWER.

Now i respect people who take meds and go to therapists and what not but those things WILL NOT save you. GOD WILL SAVE YOU. Trust me on this I struggled with this for more than 2 years before finally beating it(for the time being).

Websites didnt help me. meds didnt. shrinks didnt. nothing did until i finally felt the amazing power of the Holy Spirit.

I dont know if i will ever once and for all stop struggling with OCD and that actually scares me a lot. But that doesnt matter because I know how to beat the monster that is OCD.

With God's help of course

Please understand that im not trying to offend anyone or throw my experiences at anyone who may be struggling. I just care about everyone here and want you to feel same peace that i felt when i beat OCD.

 

[keryakos]

i think that is great ...and i dont want to discredit you in any way ..

but i do strongly disagree ..ocd does not equal an abscene of God ..actually its that sort of thinking that makes it worse for most sufferers ...

 

[seajoy]

i think that is great ...and i dont want to discredit you in any way ..

but i do strongly disagree ..ocd does not equal an abscene of God ..actually its that sort of thinking that makes it worse for most sufferers ...

Excellent post, keryakos.

So, jc, are you saying that since you aren't praying much right now, God is absent from you? Because if that's what you think, you are wrong. God is with us all the time, even when we flub up by not reading the bible, not praying, or we sin in other ways. Our faith does not disappear when we have OCD...God uses it to strengthen us. It is a most difficult illness, but God is strongest when we are weakest. That is His promise to us.

 

[gracealone]

i think that is great ...and i dont want to discredit you in any way ..

but i do strongly disagree ..ocd does not equal an abscene of God ..actually its that sort of thinking that makes it worse for most sufferers ...

BINGO! Kerykos.

God Bless,
Mitzi

 

[gracealone]

[quote=jc9992;50684090] In Red.

So in otherwords its mostly my fault that im not growing spiritually and thats where OCD comes in. The good news though is that whenever im doing good spiritually e.g.(praying,reading the Bible accordingly) the OCD thoughts and compulsions are barely a problem.
Hi jc9992,
I'm so glad that you've found this to be true for you and so thrilled to hear how great you're doing. Praise the Lord.
But how would you explain my experience?
My last severe bout of OCD came at a time where I was in His Word every single day, I was in prayer with Him every day, I sang praises to Him every day, I went to church every Sunday; all of these things were done not out of feelings of duty but because of the joy of my salvation in Him and fellowship with Him.
But my anxiety disorder still attacked my brain at this very time with a big and difficult flare. In it I've learned that my disorder does not remove His presence and that He has a plan for my life not in spite of my OCD but because of it. " I will therefore glory in my affliciton that that power of Christ may rest more fully upon me. For when I am weak -I am strong." Strong in His strength rather than my own. So the lessons that I'm learning from living with an affliction are of greater importance than the reasons that I have it.

You may be wondering what I mean by all of this. Well its simple OCD is the absence of God in my life and God is the absence of OCD.

While this may be true for you, one cannot presume that it's true for everyone. I don't think you are suggesting that if we all did just as you have done that our OCD wouldn't bother us any more. At least I hope not. God works with all of us as individuals. Only He knows our hearts and what's best for us. We can't know that about any body else concerning their spiritual standing with Him. For some of us God may want to demonstrate His strength and power in and through our affliction of OCD and therefore He may choose not to remove it just as with Paul's thorn. For others the removal of the disorder may also serve to demonstrate His power in another way. Either way as you said - it's all about God's power. Remember that the scriptures say "we are conqueror's IN all these things" not necessarily OUT of them.

Now i respect people who take meds and go to therapists and what not but those things WILL NOT save you. GOD WILL SAVE YOU. Trust me on this I struggled with this for more than 2 years before finally beating it(for the time being).

I've never seen any one post on this forum who thought that medication and or therapy had any thing to do with their standing with Christ. These things are wonderful gifts of knowledge and tools from God that help many, many people manage a very painful and difficult illness. Same as any other medical intervention for any other illness. They have nothing to do with our salvation.

I dont know if i will ever once and for all stop struggling with OCD and that actually scares me a lot.
Instead of letting that scare you, how bout letting go and trusting that even if you have to live with OCD God's power is not inhibited or limited by it in any way. He is, "the author and finisher of our faith."

But that doesnt matter because I know how to beat the monster that is OCD.
That's a great statement JC9992!
Here's mine: My OCD doesn't matter because my faith is not based in me but based in the great I AM."
God Bless!
Mitzi

 

[gracealone]

Excellent post, keryakos.

So, jc, are you saying that since you aren't praying much right now, God is absent from you? Because if that's what you think, you are wrong. God is with us all the time, even when we flub up by not reading the bible, not praying, or we sin in other ways. Our faith does not disappear when we have OCD...God uses it to strengthen us. It is a most difficult illness, but God is strongest when we are weakest. That is His promise to us.

Super mega, major ditto's to your comments Seajoy. I couldn't agree more! I thank God so much for the clarity you have about OCD and for all that your well thought out posts have done to help me with my own OCD. You have been a true God-Send to me!
Love you kiddo!
Mitzi

 

[seajoy]

Oh my...well, thank you, Mitzi. Your words are spot on as well.

 

[jc9992]

So, jc, are you saying that since you aren't praying much right now, God is absent from you? Because if that's what you think, you are wrong. God is with us all the time, even when we flub up by not reading the bible, not praying, or we sin in other ways. Our faith does not disappear when we have OCD...God uses it to strengthen us. It is a most difficult illness, but God is strongest when we are weakest. That is His promise to us

Im not saying God is completely absent and thats i why I struggle i mean that without living for God the way I should be, it makes OCD more difficult to deal with.

 

[TheDeepblue]

Hey JC. I remember you and I hope you remember me as well. Personally, what has helped me most, is that I know nothing can separate me from God.