Why does God allow OCD?

[David2019]

Why does God allow OCD to exist, especially scrupulosity? I understand that it's a mental illness and the result of living in a fallen world, but why does God allow some people to never have the assurance of being saved, suffer blasphemous thoughts 24/7 or whatever might keep someone in a state of almost constant terror to the point where one starts to long for the release of death at some moments? I mean, can he not make an exception of what the OCD targets in a believers' life. I can live with the fact that I have to check if the door of my house is really locked for 5 minutes before I can finally leave.

But living with the uncertainty that you might or might not have a relationship with God, resisting the urge to curse his name and fearing that almost every thing that you do is or might become sin makes life so incredibly hard and depressing, not mentioning the physical side effects like anxiety attacks, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, fatigue and weight loss.

''But just have faith and trust God.''

That's the problem with OCD, you do not have the freaking control over your head, your emotions and feelings or what you want to think. Every attempt to fight the thought with scripture backfires with ''what if...'' ''what if God isn't real'' ''What if I just fool myself'' ''what if the bible isn't real'' what if, what if, what if! Ignoring the thought will only result in more anxiety because it does not give you a clear picture of what kind of reality you are living in.

So my question is, what is God's point in letting us suffer so much because this terrible mental illness only makes it feel like God is far away.

 

[dqhall]

Why does God allow OCD to exist, especially scrupulosity? I understand that it's a mental illness and the result of living in a fallen world, but why does God allow some people to never have the assurance of being saved, suffer blasphemous thoughts 24/7 or whatever might keep someone in a state of almost constant terror to the point where one starts to long for the release of death at some moments? I mean, can he not make an exception of what the OCD targets in a believers' life. I can live with the fact that I have to check if the door of my house is really locked for 5 minutes before I can finally leave.

But living with the uncertainty that you might or might not have a relationship with God, resisting the urge to curse his name and fearing that almost every thing that you do is or might become sin makes life so incredibly hard and depressing, not mentioning the physical side effects like anxiety attacks, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, fatigue and weight loss.

''But just have faith and trust God.''

That's the problem with OCD, you do not have the freaking control over your head, your emotions and feelings or what you want to think. Every attempt to fight the thought with scripture backfires with ''what if...'' ''what if God isn't real'' ''What if I just fool myself'' ''what if the bible isn't real'' what if, what if, what if! Ignoring the thought will only result in more anxiety because it does not give you a clear picture of what kind of reality you are living in.

So my question is, what is God's point in letting us suffer so much because this terrible mental illness only makes it feel like God is far away.

I gave up alcohol, cigarettes and drugs when I was 22. The auditory hallucinations receded. Later in life I changed my diet in an attempt to lower my blood pressure. I reduced salt, meat, dairy, fried foods and fats making my health better.

Along the way I memorized parts of the NT, surveyed the OT and used Bible study guides and commentary in an attempt to get free. God is the good shepherd of Psalm 23.

 

[David2019]

I gave up alcohol, cigarettes and drugs when I was 22. The auditory hallucinations receded. Later in life I changed my diet in an attempt to lower my blood pressure. I reduced salt, meat, dairy, fried foods and fats making my health better.

Along the way I memorized parts of the NT, surveyed the OT and used Bible study guides and commentary in an attempt to get free. God is the good shepherd of Psalm 23.

I don't smoke, drink alcohol or use recreational drugs. I was literally born to become like this. I do use prescription medication but I would go completely insane eventually without them.

 

[dqhall]

I don't smoke, drink alcohol or use recreational drugs. I was literally born to become like this. I do use prescription medication but I would go completely insane eventually without them.

I suppose you suffer some form of delusion. A drug can not change your morals and ethics. Did you seek God or did you seek something deceptive?

 

[Vince53]

David, if the thoughts come from OCD, then they are not the result of your spirituality. Jesus said that "out of the abundance of the heart, the moth speaks." If you are not saying these things out loud, they do not come from your heart. The fact that YOU don't want these thoughts shows that the thoughts don't come from YOU.

In other words, the problem isn't YOU; the problem is OCD. Researching OCD on the web and reading books on the subject will show you that you only have the normal results of OCD--the problem isn't YOU, it's the OCD.

A psychiatrist can help you, and if you can't afford one, your county health center might have one for free or at a reduced cost.

 

[angelsaroundme]

I was listening to a Rabbi. He was talking about the state of the world saying, maybe before Messiah comes, the world must realize they are hopeless without God. I cannot find a much better answer than that. I suspect he was relating that to one of the Jewish ideas about the Messianic age which is that God won't kick it off until the world has severely fallen.

 

[rhomphaeam]

Why does God allow OCD to exist, especially scrupulosity? I understand that it's a mental illness and the result of living in a fallen world, but why does God allow some people to never have the assurance of being saved, suffer blasphemous thoughts 24/7 or whatever might keep someone in a state of almost constant terror to the point where one starts to long for the release of death at some moments? I mean, can he not make an exception of what the OCD targets in a believers' life. I can live with the fact that I have to check if the door of my house is really locked for 5 minutes before I can finally leave.

But living with the uncertainty that you might or might not have a relationship with God, resisting the urge to curse his name and fearing that almost every thing that you do is or might become sin makes life so incredibly hard and depressing, not mentioning the physical side effects like anxiety attacks, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, fatigue and weight loss.

''But just have faith and trust God.''

That's the problem with OCD, you do not have the freaking control over your head, your emotions and feelings or what you want to think. Every attempt to fight the thought with scripture backfires with ''what if...'' ''what if God isn't real'' ''What if I just fool myself'' ''what if the bible isn't real'' what if, what if, what if! Ignoring the thought will only result in more anxiety because it does not give you a clear picture of what kind of reality you are living in.

So my question is, what is God's point in letting us suffer so much because this terrible mental illness only makes it feel like God is far away.

Hi David, Good evening from the UK to a brother in the Netherlands.

This (below) link is given in order to offset the risk of saying anything that would be spiritual in meaning by balancing that spiritual claim with a formal and approved view.

https://www.mind.org.uk/media-a/2943/ocd-2019.pdf

The reason I felt led to respond to your post was because you asked about why God allows us to suffer so much. When I was born again in 1984 I asked the Father a very similar question. Only my heart was directed at a concern for the harm I had done others. The Father told me that He wanted me the way I was. And that answer didn't make a shred of sense because I knew that He didn't mean that He wanted me to have been harmful or to even experience what harming others really meant. After a few moments it sank in what I was being told. The Lord permitted me to have the knowledge and the experience of being harmed - not in harming others. My childhood and teenage years were appalling and I was abused mentally and physically to an extreme measure. It led to mental health problems and all the damage that does to every part of life.

David, this can only make sense when you are grounded in a living experience of the Father in heaven. When we come to know God and are known of God in a living relationship, that relationship is first and foremost a spiritual relationship. That which is born of Spirit, is spirit. Our minds are who we are and speaks of the soul. Our renewed spirits are the instrument that bring us to God through Christ. Ask the Father for that meaning and your mind will find traction and you will find some release from the symptoms you have spoken about.

May the Lord grant you understanding and through His grace and mercy may you find deliverance and hope for both yourself and others to His everlasting glory. Amen.

 

[Tolworth John]

That's the problem with OCD, you do not have the freaking control over your head, your emotions and feelings or what you want to think. Every attempt to fight the thought with scripture backfires with ''what if...'' ''what if God isn't real'' ''What if I just fool myself'' ''what if the bible isn't real'' what if, what if, what if! Ignoring the thought will only result in more anxiety because it does not give you a clear picture of what kind of reality you are living in.

So my question is, what is God's point in letting us suffer so much because this terrible mental illness only makes it feel like God is far away.

As you say we live in a fallen world with many problems.
Despite what you feel, or what your mental illness tells you God is close to you.
Jesus promised never to leave us.

May I suggest, as has already been suggested that you talk to a psychiatrist about your intrusive thoughts.
May I also suggest looking up on line and reading the article:-
25 tips for successfully treating your ocd. Points 4+5 referr to coping with intrusive thoughts by just acknowledging them, not debating, ignoring, or trying to suppress them.

 

[SeekingGloryOnThisJourney]

Why does God allow OCD to exist, especially scrupulosity? I understand that it's a mental illness and the result of living in a fallen world, but why does God allow some people to never have the assurance of being saved, suffer blasphemous thoughts 24/7 or whatever might keep someone in a state of almost constant terror to the point where one starts to long for the release of death at some moments? I mean, can he not make an exception of what the OCD targets in a believers' life. I can live with the fact that I have to check if the door of my house is really locked for 5 minutes before I can finally leave.

But living with the uncertainty that you might or might not have a relationship with God, resisting the urge to curse his name and fearing that almost every thing that you do is or might become sin makes life so incredibly hard and depressing, not mentioning the physical side effects like anxiety attacks, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, fatigue and weight loss.

''But just have faith and trust God.''

That's the problem with OCD, you do not have the freaking control over your head, your emotions and feelings or what you want to think. Every attempt to fight the thought with scripture backfires with ''what if...'' ''what if God isn't real'' ''What if I just fool myself'' ''what if the bible isn't real'' what if, what if, what if! Ignoring the thought will only result in more anxiety because it does not give you a clear picture of what kind of reality you are living in.

So my question is, what is God's point in letting us suffer so much because this terrible mental illness only makes it feel like God is far away.

I also have OCD and during quarantine last summer i thought it killed my relationship with God. I never felt assured. I was obsessed with legalistic topics. I was terrified of myself because I often found myself thinking taboo subjects. I lost my self. I lost God.
Or at least I thought I did.
That was one season of my life and it strengthened me in the end. I know I am saved. I know that I’ll be struggling this for a while but I’m stronger because of it.
Keep the faith.

 

[Mari17]

Why does God allow OCD to exist, especially scrupulosity? I understand that it's a mental illness and the result of living in a fallen world, but why does God allow some people to never have the assurance of being saved, suffer blasphemous thoughts 24/7 or whatever might keep someone in a state of almost constant terror to the point where one starts to long for the release of death at some moments? I mean, can he not make an exception of what the OCD targets in a believers' life. I can live with the fact that I have to check if the door of my house is really locked for 5 minutes before I can finally leave.

But living with the uncertainty that you might or might not have a relationship with God, resisting the urge to curse his name and fearing that almost every thing that you do is or might become sin makes life so incredibly hard and depressing, not mentioning the physical side effects like anxiety attacks, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, fatigue and weight loss.

''But just have faith and trust God.''

That's the problem with OCD, you do not have the freaking control over your head, your emotions and feelings or what you want to think. Every attempt to fight the thought with scripture backfires with ''what if...'' ''what if God isn't real'' ''What if I just fool myself'' ''what if the bible isn't real'' what if, what if, what if! Ignoring the thought will only result in more anxiety because it does not give you a clear picture of what kind of reality you are living in.

So my question is, what is God's point in letting us suffer so much because this terrible mental illness only makes it feel like God is far away.

I have scrupulosity and other types of OCD, too. It can be very, very painful at times. As with all pain and sickness in life, there's no easy answer. In my experience, I've found that working on my OCD has actually made me stronger, more compassionate, and more trusting in God. That is, if I'm treating it correctly. It can be very debilitating if left untreated.

Are you currently getting (or have you gotten) help from an OCD specialist, or any other professional? Or are you familiar with the strategies for treating it so you can self-treat?

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Why does God allow OCD to exist, especially scrupulosity? I understand that it's a mental illness and the result of living in a fallen world, but why does God allow some people to never have the assurance of being saved, suffer blasphemous thoughts 24/7 or whatever might keep someone in a state of almost constant terror to the point where one starts to long for the release of death at some moments? I mean, can he not make an exception of what the OCD targets in a believers' life. I can live with the fact that I have to check if the door of my house is really locked for 5 minutes before I can finally leave.

But living with the uncertainty that you might or might not have a relationship with God, resisting the urge to curse his name and fearing that almost every thing that you do is or might become sin makes life so incredibly hard and depressing, not mentioning the physical side effects like anxiety attacks, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, fatigue and weight loss.

''But just have faith and trust God.''

That's the problem with OCD, you do not have the freaking control over your head, your emotions and feelings or what you want to think. Every attempt to fight the thought with scripture backfires with ''what if...'' ''what if God isn't real'' ''What if I just fool myself'' ''what if the bible isn't real'' what if, what if, what if! Ignoring the thought will only result in more anxiety because it does not give you a clear picture of what kind of reality you are living in.

So my question is, what is God's point in letting us suffer so much because this terrible mental illness only makes it feel like God is far away.

In the beginning God gave the earth to humanity, we fell under the dominion of sin - so sin which causes all of creation to malfunction and decay is responsible. Since God didn't create sin, it does not have a root in the original creation, thus no one is to blame - since sin is not a person.

You could blame the first humans, but blaming was the last thing they did before leaving the garden - and Jesus on the cross did the exact opposite.

God does not end it all, because reasons. The parable of the wheat and the tares illustrates that God reserved judgment until the time of harvest, because pulling out the weeds, would also destroy the good crops.

In order to remove the sin from all of humanity, God would also need to destroy the thought processes it is connected to, and this would result in all of humanity being killed. Since this is not an acceptable outcome, God chooses to allow the consequences of the first human's actions to stand until the end of this age.

 

[subtlecollision]

Having struggled with scrupulosity and now gaining greater assurance, I believe one reason God allows OCD is so that those who are forgiven much will love much. I have felt such extreme, horrific guilt in my life due to my OCD. Yet I maybe have experienced more happiness about God's grace than some people without OCD may have. So, yes, it is horrific, but maybe God allows it so that we can experience his grace in a greater way.

 

[Mari17]

Having struggled with scrupulosity and now gaining greater assurance, I believe one reason God allows OCD is so that those who are forgiven much will love much. I have felt such extreme, horrific guilt in my life due to my OCD. Yet I maybe have experienced more happiness about God's grace than some people without OCD may have. So, yes, it is horrific, but maybe God allows it so that we can experience his grace in a greater way.

Thank you for this - I found it encouraging since I too am struggling with immense guilt right now.

 

[subtlecollision]

Thank you for this - I found it encouraging since I too am struggling with immense guilt right now.

No problem! The weight of guilt is absolutely miserable. Thank God there is no condemnation in Christ.

 

[Iaras]

Why does God allow OCD to exist, especially scrupulosity? I understand that it's a mental illness and the result of living in a fallen world, but why does God allow some people to never have the assurance of being saved, suffer blasphemous thoughts 24/7 or whatever might keep someone in a state of almost constant terror to the point where one starts to long for the release of death at some moments? I mean, can he not make an exception of what the OCD targets in a believers' life. I can live with the fact that I have to check if the door of my house is really locked for 5 minutes before I can finally leave.

But living with the uncertainty that you might or might not have a relationship with God, resisting the urge to curse his name and fearing that almost every thing that you do is or might become sin makes life so incredibly hard and depressing, not mentioning the physical side effects like anxiety attacks, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, fatigue and weight loss.

''But just have faith and trust God.''

That's the problem with OCD, you do not have the freaking control over your head, your emotions and feelings or what you want to think. Every attempt to fight the thought with scripture backfires with ''what if...'' ''what if God isn't real'' ''What if I just fool myself'' ''what if the bible isn't real'' what if, what if, what if! Ignoring the thought will only result in more anxiety because it does not give you a clear picture of what kind of reality you are living in.

So my question is, what is God's point in letting us suffer so much because this terrible mental illness only makes it feel like God is far away.

YES IT REALLY DOES ITS TERRIFYING MENTAL ILLNESS EVER BUT HOW ARE YOU NOW? DID YOU OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM? IM IN THE SAME PROBLEM AS YOU ARE

 

[Blaise N]

Why does God allow OCD to exist, especially scrupulosity? I understand that it's a mental illness and the result of living in a fallen world, but why does God allow some people to never have the assurance of being saved, suffer blasphemous thoughts 24/7 or whatever might keep someone in a state of almost constant terror to the point where one starts to long for the release of death at some moments? I mean, can he not make an exception of what the OCD targets in a believers' life. I can live with the fact that I have to check if the door of my house is really locked for 5 minutes before I can finally leave.

But living with the uncertainty that you might or might not have a relationship with God, resisting the urge to curse his name and fearing that almost every thing that you do is or might become sin makes life so incredibly hard and depressing, not mentioning the physical side effects like anxiety attacks, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, fatigue and weight loss.

''But just have faith and trust God.''

That's the problem with OCD, you do not have the freaking control over your head, your emotions and feelings or what you want to think. Every attempt to fight the thought with scripture backfires with ''what if...'' ''what if God isn't real'' ''What if I just fool myself'' ''what if the bible isn't real'' what if, what if, what if! Ignoring the thought will only result in more anxiety because it does not give you a clear picture of what kind of reality you are living in.

So my question is, what is God's point in letting us suffer so much because this terrible mental illness only makes it feel like God is far away.

Well my friend I asked the same thing,I too as a Born again believer and with OCD have asked the same thing and I want to ask you in return,” would you have relied and stayed close to Jesus if you hadn’t had it?”.I’m my situation my friend I came to realize it’s something that our brother Paul said he had,”a thorn in the flesh” to keep him humble.So adding those two you get a conclusion that God actually is using it to keep you close to him and to rely on him,And he doesn’t take pleasure in our pain,he hurts as much as we do.

I’d also like to add that in my opinion,one of the most important reformers in church history,Sir Martin Luther,suffered terrible OCD,as Did John Bunyan the author of regarded as the greatest piece of Christian literature “The pilgrims progress”

 

[hominid]

Hello friend, I struggle immensely with doubt and uncertainty due to OCD. In the past it has not been uncommon for me to make myself nauseous due to how cynical I can be reading the Word and pondering existential and cosmic questions of our place in life.

For a while I compulsively pursued apologetics and the content of scientifically/intellectually minded Christians like John Lennox and individuals found via The Veritas Forum. Eventually, though, I realized that this was just exercising a compulsion and giving my fears and doubts power by treating them as if I MUST be certain.

Being knowledgeable and engaging with this material is very good when done for the right reasons, but I had perverted it into something different by going into it with extreme cynicism.

I have found this playlist by Mark DeJesus extremely helpful in identifying why I behave the way I do, how Christ's love deals with that, and what techniques can be utilized to escape the cycle. I have also pursued Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with a faith based, but professionally licensed practice and it has been invaluable as well.

I would also recommend the book Strivings Within - The OCD Christian: Overcoming Doubt in the Storm of Anxiety by Mitzi Vancleave. So much of her story is relatable and she gives very sound advice.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoPPYKFbUfNPLRjkYP-OkIj3-b5hPjtMT

 

[Mari17]

Hello friend, I struggle immensely with doubt and uncertainty due to OCD. In the past it has not been uncommon for me to make myself nauseous due to how cynical I can be reading the Word and pondering existential and cosmic questions of our place in life.

For a while I compulsively pursued apologetics and the content of scientifically/intellectually minded Christians like John Lennox and individuals found via The Veritas Forum. Eventually, though, I realized that this was just exercising a compulsion and giving my fears and doubts power by treating them as if I MUST be certain.

Being knowledgeable and engaging with this material is very good when done for the right reasons, but I had perverted it into something different by going into it with extreme cynicism.

I have found this playlist by Mark DeJesus extremely helpful in identifying why I behave the way I do, how Christ's love deals with that, and what techniques can be utilized to escape the cycle. I have also pursued Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with a faith based, but professionally licensed practice and it has been invaluable as well.

I would also recommend the book Strivings Within - The OCD Christian: Overcoming Doubt in the Storm of Anxiety by Mitzi Vancleave. So much of her story is relatable and she gives very sound advice.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoPPYKFbUfNPLRjkYP-OkIj3-b5hPjtMT

I second the recommendation of Mitzi's book. She also has a good support group online: Christianity and Anxiety Disorders - Let's Talk | Facebook.

Other good resources are:
Scrupulosity.com: Faith-based Solutions for Religious OCD - Scrupulosity.com
OCD and Scrupulosity Archives - ACCFS

 

[Karabear10]

Why does God allow OCD to exist, especially scrupulosity? I understand that it's a mental illness and the result of living in a fallen world, but why does God allow some people to never have the assurance of being saved, suffer blasphemous thoughts 24/7 or whatever might keep someone in a state of almost constant terror to the point where one starts to long for the release of death at some moments? I mean, can he not make an exception of what the OCD targets in a believers' life. I can live with the fact that I have to check if the door of my house is really locked for 5 minutes before I can finally leave.

But living with the uncertainty that you might or might not have a relationship with God, resisting the urge to curse his name and fearing that almost every thing that you do is or might become sin makes life so incredibly hard and depressing, not mentioning the physical side effects like anxiety attacks, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, fatigue and weight loss.

''But just have faith and trust God.''

That's the problem with OCD, you do not have the freaking control over your head, your emotions and feelings or what you want to think. Every attempt to fight the thought with scripture backfires with ''what if...'' ''what if God isn't real'' ''What if I just fool myself'' ''what if the bible isn't real'' what if, what if, what if! Ignoring the thought will only result in more anxiety because it does not give you a clear picture of what kind of reality you are living in.

So my question is, what is God's point in letting us suffer so much because this terrible mental illness only makes it feel like God is far away.

The ocd you describe sounds a lot like mine. Would you like to talk about it more?

 

[hominid]

The ocd you describe sounds a lot like mine. Would you like to talk about it more?

I encourage you to check out the videos by Mark DeJesus I linked. We have to learn to starve the compulsion and rumination. It's very hard but it's possible, as evidenced by his own life