Punishment based faith

My anxiety is often triggered by spiritual tasks I feel I HAVE to do. I genuinely believe that my spiritual routine is a result of punishment based fear of God. This is not something my faith endorses but nonetheless is something that serves as a foundation of my belief. I believe it stems from a period of time when I was a teenager and committed acts I eventually came to realize would result in excommunication which spurred me to change my ways. What specific action can I take to change my thinking without compromising my religious tenets?

Religion & Spirituality OCD

LowellT

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

Thanks for what you mentioned. I feel the same way. Also when you mention God’s sovereignty that is something that helps me through the hard times. As Job said in Job 42:2 “I know You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” I have heard it said that “God’s providence is the best pillow for a weary head”.

hellopeople

User type: NOCD Alumni

Date posted: 2y

@LowellT Thank you for sharing that. God’s sovereignty really is a comfort. I think of it when practicing ERP, sitting and not doing compulsions but giving it to God :)

LowellT

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

I am a Christian and when my OCD skyrocketed in my life over this last year one of the things was guilt. I became a Christian when I was 18 years old ( I am now 62). I came to believe in the Lord Jesus That through believing in His death and coming alive again that by believing in Him I am forgiven of the things I have done wrong ( my sin) and now God helps me to live a life to please Him. And yep, I still sin. I confess it to Him I am forgiven and I move on. When I let OCD tell me “you aren’t forgiven” the guilt builds up etc. in the New Testament in Romans chapter 8 verse 1 it says “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. For decades when I would confess my sin to God and know He forgives me I could move on. But when my OCD skyrocketed it became the authority and not the Bible. I had to realize that OCD is a lier, and the Bible is true no matter how I “felt”. OCD will always, always bring up one more “what if”. As I try to answer each “what it” OCD will be right there with another one. So I have to put OCD aside and say “you are a lire and the Bible is true”. I don’t want to feed reassurance but I know I don’t want to deny truth. This is short answer for a big struggle.

hellopeople

User type: NOCD Alumni

Date posted: 2y

@LowellT This is a beautiful response. I am also a Christian, I went through periods of feeling like I needed to pray in the exact right way or people I loved would die which is part of religious OCD. The Bible says that our prayers should not be vain repetitions and God knows what we will say before we speak, and the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God is sovereign over all— there’s so much truth that extinguishes what OCD is trying to do! We cannot earn God’s love, He freely gives it. Christianity is grace based, God showed His love for us that while we were yet sinners Jesus died for us… so no amount of work can save us, only believing in the work Jesus did for us. In regards to ERP, stopping compulsions is the goal, and religious tasks can be compulsions, stopping them is difficult, I don’t know what religion the original poster is, but in Christianity we cannot earn favor with God by tasks we do, which is very freeing for us with OCD.

LowellT

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

Thanks. I am glad you found it encouraging. His sovereignty is an encouragement for me.

ssarah12

Date posted: 2y

Look up Mark Dejesus on youtube. He talks a lot about these issues and has helped me tremendously. I also recommend his books “exposing the rejection mindset” and “i will not fear”

sanshine

Date posted: 15w

Religious OCD

I used to have religious OCD. Still kinda do. Accidentally thought something bad about God once, panicked thought something bad about the Holy Spirit. Fell into doom. This was recently after recomitting myself to Christ. Since then I pretty much gave up. Unfortunately, it also led to me compromising my morals many times because I figured I was going to hell anyway. I wish I knew what OCD was then. I think it would have saved me a lot of pain. I no longer have a relationship with God, and fear I never will again.

Anonymous

Date posted: 15w

Religious OCD, ashamed of my thoughts

I am a christian guy who grew up in a christian community and family. For as long as i remember, ive had horrible thoughts about all kinds of things that i dont know where to begin. Due to my extreme thoughts, i feel as if i am unworthy of practicing my religioin, such as praying, reading, meditating, etc. I feel ashamed when i go to church, as if i dont belong there because i feel like i am secretely evil, and that God knows i am evil and i am committing blasphemy by going there, and refusing to "repent", from my thoughts. But then again, my thoughts are just thoughts, sure. So whats the problem? - The problem is that in my faith, i have been taught that we must control our thoughts, so they do not get power over us to make us commit sin. Such as "If you think lustfully about a woman, you have already committed adultery with her in your heart". This verse has killed my self esteem, due to the constant unwanted sexual and disturbing thoughts. It makes me feel like a monster, who secretely just wants to abuse and be horrible to people, even though i know very well i do not want this. Sometimes i think horrible things about the people i love very much, such as my girlfriend. It feels so wrong and evil, even though i know it isnt my true will.

Taytay1235

Date posted: 9w

Feeling a loss of faith and anxiety

I’m Christian, and I suddenly had a loss of faith. I’m praying constantly and as anxious and scared that God hasn’t chosen me for this religion, even though I believe in it whole heartedly. My brain is telling me these things, and saying how I would be fit for Islam or something else, even though I am perfectly happy being a Christian. I keep getting intrusive thoughts and feelings about not believing in my religion, and whenever I confess how I do believe, my brain tells me I’m lying or I feel otherwise. It makes me feel guilty and abandoned and alone. I still read my Bible and pray CONSTANTLY. Please help (sorry if this is hard to understand I am ranting)

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Punishment based faith

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