Do some of you with religious ocd also struggle with thoughts like god doesnt love you because otherwise you wouldnt have ocd or that you have to prove somehow that you too are worthy of love?

And by God I’m assuming your Christian… And feel free not to take my advice, but this may help… Any thought wether it’s OCD, from the enemy, or fear, whatever it is… we need to stand in the Truth of what God says.. Cause we can have thoughts about anything right, so why does it matter so much about the thoughts, just make Gods word matter. It’s the Truth (Gods Word) that makes you free. You can only distinguish a lie when you know / understand the Truth Ex. Romans 5:8 If while we we’re enemies of God (Sin) / & wanted nothing to do with God he loved us so much to free us from sin and make his… I bet he also loves you when you actually do want him! He’s not bothered by struggle, just don’t let it identify you, and realize that Christ / Gods word is the Truth about your life! Your identity is in Christ. Your Gods son. You’ve been freed from sin and have become Righteous! (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Yes, I’ve had those thoughts in the past. Martin Luther had those thoughts as well, I’ve always found his (likely) OCD story inspiring.

Wow thank you for all the comments. Its gonna take me some time to read them. The thing is I donst see myself as a faithful servant. I have some friends who are really good christians and you can also see how it affects their life. They have so much success in every aspect of their life and Im afraid to do certain things beacuse acclrding to my ocd its a sin and they enjoy their life. However thank you both.

If I take your question and replace "ocd" with "illness / suffering / pain" then this is actually a common struggle people who are religious have. It is related to the problem of suffering and many videos and books have been made on this topic because many, many people suffer. There are many insightful thoughts on this issue (but also many bad takes as well). If you are a Christian (I cannot speak for other religious traditions) then there is a lot to say about suffering, fear, and God's love. Before I say this, many people fear that God does not love them. It is very common, not just for people with OCD or anxiety issues. People wonder if they measure up. They don't want Jesus to tell them "I never knew you." The answer to this is to be "in Christ." It is to ask to be in relationship with him, to love those around you (those who like you, those who don't like you, and even those who hate you), and to trust in God. Trusting in God will produce the love for others, because it is God's love that works its way through you. God working in you is like a tree growing in your yard. If the tree grows and is healthy then it will produce good fruit, the fruit of the Spirit. Putting your trust in God means relying on him and letting his love permeate you. God doesn't want any to die in their sins and is there to help you, every step, even when you have no strength it will be His strength that you use to walk. He holds you in his hands and if you be in him then you will not fall out of his care. Like I said, I am assuming a Christian questioner, one who seeks to be in Christ. God bless you. (I apologize in advance for this long comment.) The rest of this comment has a couple themes. One is that many of God's faithful servants suffer in all sorts of way. Another is that Jesus suffered for you, in your place. Another is that Jesus represents you. Another is that you DO NOT earn God's love, but it is a free gift. Another is that nothing can separate you from God's love. Another is that the devil is the one that wants you to feel accused. Another is that if you are in Christ, then no accusations will stick. Another is that God loves you and is always faithful to accept a repentant sinner, to accept them into his family. God bless you. Let us start out with Paul talking about some of the suffering he and Timothy experienced. I highly recommend reading the entire chapter of 2 Corinthians 1 (CEB translation): "2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. God’s comfort in trouble 3 May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed! He is the compassionate Father and God of all comfort. 4 He’s the one who comforts us in all our trouble so that we can comfort other people who are in every kind of trouble. We offer the same comfort that we ourselves received from God. 5 That is because we receive so much comfort through Christ in the same way that we share so many of Christ’s sufferings. 6 So if we have trouble, it is to bring you comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is to bring you comfort from the experience of endurance while you go through the same sufferings that we also suffer. 7 Our hope for you is certain, because we know that as you are partners in suffering, so also you are partners in comfort. 8 Brothers and sisters, we don’t want you to be unaware of the troubles that we went through in Asia. We were weighed down with a load of suffering that was so far beyond our strength that we were afraid we might not survive. 9 It certainly seemed to us as if we had gotten the death penalty. This was so that we would have confidence in God, who raises the dead, instead of ourselves. 10 God rescued us from a terrible death, and he will rescue us. We have set our hope on him that he will rescue us again, 11 since you are helping with your prayer for us. Then many people can thank God on our behalf for the gift that was given to us through the prayers of many people." Paul was continually in trouble and getting into tight spots because of his bold confession and telling others about Jesus. Paul says in 1 Timothy: "12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength because he considered me faithful. So he appointed me to ministry 13 even though I used to speak against him, attack his people, and I was proud. But I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and without faith. 14 Our Lord’s favor poured all over me along with the faithfulness and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is reliable and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I’m the biggest sinner of all. 16 But this is why I was shown mercy, so that Christ Jesus could show his endless patience to me first of all. So I’m an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the king of the ages, to the immortal, invisible, and only God, may honor and glory be given to him forever and always! Amen." If we read 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and 1 Corinthians, you can see many comments about the sufferings that he went through. For instance in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul said "...I’ve been beaten more times than I can count. I’ve faced death many times. 24 I received the “forty lashes minus one” from the Jews five times. 25 I was beaten with rods three times. I was stoned once. I was shipwrecked three times. I spent a day and a night on the open sea. 26 I’ve been on many journeys. I faced dangers from rivers, robbers, my people, and Gentiles. I faced dangers in the city, in the desert, on the sea, and from false brothers and sisters. 27 I faced these dangers with hard work and heavy labor, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, and in the cold without enough clothes. 28 Besides all the other things I could mention, there’s my daily stress because I’m concerned about all the churches. 29 Who is weak without me being weak? Who is led astray without me being furious about it? 30 If it’s necessary to brag, I’ll brag about my weaknesses. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, the one who is blessed forever, knows that I’m not lying. 32 At Damascus the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to capture me, 33 but I got away from him by being lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall. ..." Paul continues and later says in the next chapter: "7 I was given a thorn in my body because of the outstanding revelations I’ve received so that I wouldn’t be conceited. It’s a messenger from Satan sent to torment me so that I wouldn’t be conceited. 8 I pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me alone. 9 He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, because power is made perfect in weakness.” So I’ll gladly spend my time bragging about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power can rest on me. 10 Therefore, I’m all right with weaknesses, insults, disasters, harassments, and stressful situations for the sake of Christ, because when I’m weak, then I’m strong." The reason that Paul is saying all this is that he is trying to remind them that he has suffered for Jesus in being a loyal servant but that Jesus' power is shown in him. This is because even when we are weak in our bodies and don't have the strength to carry on, it is God who empowers us and carries us. If you have fears and terrible circumstances, you are in good company. Paul was even writing this part of the letter because people were infiltrating the church and trying to turn people against Paul and turn them away from what he taught about Jesus. This is something that caused him a lot of stress and was the cause of him writing the book of Galatians as well. So, you might wonder. "Ok, Paul and many in the early church suffered all sorts of ways. How does that address my fear that God does not love me." First, it points out that as Christians there will be lots of suffering and fear. Paul was a faithful servant but experienced much suffering for that very reason. But we are not to grasp onto that fear because Christ has conquered death and will one day return to make all things new and without any suffering. Now we will talk about who are the people that Christ wants to be saved and who is it that God loves. Paul says in 1 Timothy 2: "First of all, then, I ask that requests, prayers, petitions, and thanksgiving be made for all people. 2 Pray for kings and everyone who is in authority so that we can live a quiet and peaceful life in complete godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and it pleases God our savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 There is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the human Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a payment to set all people free." From this, we see that God wants all to be saved. Jesus came to die for you and the whole world and now he is continually stepping up for us, representing us before God (Hebrews 7:25). He is without sin and the perfect one to speak to God on our behalf. The book of Hebrews is focused on the magnificence of Jesus and how he completes the prior covenant made at Mt. Sinai. In Hebrews 4 it says "14 Also, let’s hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God’s Son; 15 because we don’t have a high priest who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin. 16 Finally, let’s draw near to the throne of favor with confidence so that we can receive mercy and find grace when we need help." I can hardly imagine boldly approaching the White House and speaking to the president or the "throne" of any king in this world. What right would any of us normal people have to come up to the throne of the ruler of a nation to ask for help. Even if he was a kind ruler, how could we know that he even cares about us? We are only normal people and he is obviously a person in charge of millions, to whom we are just one. If it is this way with a man who is a ruler of a single country and whose authority is limited and who will die like all other people, then what about God? Can we just go up to God's thrown and ask for help? The answer is yes. That is what that quote above from Hebrews says. We have "friends in high places" who gives a direct line to the King. We aren't just normal people with no hope of contacting the Ruler, but "we've got connections." What connections are these? They are our representative, the man Jesus who lived a perfect life and who is before God as we speak ready, willing, and able to speak for us, as he is continually doing. Read the passage up above again because it affirms that we can confidently go to God's throne and get the help we need. This is exactly because he loves you. But does he only show his love to you if you are good enough? Definitely not! He loved you and us all, even when we are doing evil, even before we were his adopted children. He loved us even before we loved him. (1 John 4:19) He loved us when we were still his enemies and still ungodly and selfish, as it says in Romans 5: "6 While we were still weak, at the right moment, Christ died for ungodly people. 7 It isn’t often that someone will die for a righteous person, though maybe someone might dare to die for a good person. 8 But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us" Paul is saying that while normal people might hardly die for anyone, let alone a good person, Jesus died for us when we were his adversaries, his enemies, those who opposed him. (Paul was one such person.) God didn't wait until we were ready and good enough. He didn't wait until we knew we needed help. God stepped in before we even knew we needed his love and loved us. We will return to this point later, but will return to the passage from Hebrews, Now, imagine that because of what Jesus did, we can approach God's throne, even though we have and still sin (and have fears and doubts). This is what this passage in Hebrews is saying: because we have a representative between us and God who not only knows what it is like to be us but went through it for us. Recall when John (while in exile on the island of Patmos, a small island off the coast of Turkey) saw the risen Lord in glory. John said "When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man." Talk about some great amount of fear! However, Christ does not leave John in that state. The passage continues: "But he put his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I was dead, but look! Now I’m alive forever and always. I have the keys of Death and the Grave." Jesus comforts us even if we were to fall like dead people due to fear. That is why he says "Don't be afraid." Continued in the next post.

(Continued): John tells us why Jesus came to the world in the first place right after John 3:16: "17 God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him." On what basis can we have this saving of our souls? Paul tells us in Romans 4. It is based on faith, putting our hope in him: "3 What does the scripture say? Abraham had faith in God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." This means that although Abraham was NOT perfect (and even at some point doubted God's promise to Him by trying to have the promised child in the way different than what God had promised him), because Abraham trusted in God's promise, God considers that as righteousness, as him being in right standing with him. The passage continues: "4 Workers’ salaries aren’t credited to them on the basis of an employer’s grace but rather on the basis of what they deserve." That is, you don't have to earn God's forgiveness. If you earned it, then that means that God owes it to you, like an employer owes his employees their paychecks. We cannot earn a second chance at life, let alone the eternal and amazing life that God wants to give you. However, God gives it to us freely if we ask. The passage continues: "5 But faith is credited as righteousness to those who don’t work, because they have faith in God who makes the ungodly righteous." Paul is saying that just like how someone can cancel out a debt by just erasing it without you earning it, it is on the basis of trusting God that he will forgive you and adopt you as his very child. Paul even goes as far as to say that he "makes the ungodly righteous." Paul was a violent man (see 2 Timothy) who had innocent people thrown in prison and oversaw the stoning of an innocent man. Paul did these things because he was zealous for what he thought was the truth. God showed up and told him that he was messing up bad and forgave him, calling Paul to follow him and to be his servant. He will similarly take all those who are unrighteous or ungodly and make them holy and forgiven if they have faith in God. That is why it says that God makes the ungodly righteous. Some other translations say "he justifies the wicked" which is to say that he declares the wicked righteous (and then he sanctifies them, making them more righteous as Christ is in growing degrees). The passage continues: "6 In the same way, David also pronounces a blessing on the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from actions: 7 Happy are those whose actions outside the Law are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Happy are those whose sin isn’t counted against them by the Lord." Paul said all this to say that faith in God is what God considers for you to be a part of his family. He sent his only Son into the world so that many people could become adopted into his family as sons and daughters even after we had gone astray. Jesus suffered for us to make a way for us to be adopted as God's adopted kids. If you have ever seen a child afraid, being comforted by their parent, know that God feels the same for you and, as Paul said in that quotation from 2 Corinthians, God is the God of comfort. Jesus knows what it is like to suffer even before his death, because not only did he die for you, he also lived for you. Jesus said that he "didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people." Jesus, being divine, was deserving of being treated like a king, but he did not come into the world to be treated like a king, but like a slave. He came not to seek his own glory, but to be beaten, tortured, and killed. He did all that because he loved you. Paul picks up on this idea when he says in Philippians 2: "6 Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit. 7 But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave and by becoming like human beings. When he found himself in the form of a human, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." If you have ever gone days without eating, you know that there is a lot of physical anguish. He went 40 days in the desert without food and was provoked by Satan, trying to get him to use his divine authority to escape suffering and ignore God's plan. But as Jesus said, that he did not come to do what he would want to do, to take advantage of what he deserves, but to be a servant and he said this before washing the feet of his students (the disciples). I hope that this is helpful. God loves you. It is the devil who comes to kill, to destroy you, and to steal your happiness and hope. However, there is no reason to fear. Jesus did not come to condemn you or to reject you. As it says in Revelation 12 in a vision that John saw of the Devil being thrown out of heaven “Now the salvation and power and kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ have come. The accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them day and night before our God, has been thrown down. 11 They gained the victory over him on account of the blood of the Lamb and the word of their witness. " Reading it carefully, we see that the Devil is the one that accuses you. God is not accusing you if you are in Jesus, but it is the devil who is trying to come up with any reason to think that you aren't worthy and that you deserve death. Jesus took our punishment and conquered death so now the Devil has nothing to say. We are giving the righteousness of Jesus and the devil cannot separate you from it. Paul says in Romans 8: "So now there isn’t any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." and he continues: "31 So what are we going to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He didn’t spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. Won’t he also freely give us all things with him?" Paul then continues with the language of accusation. The people of God cannot be condemned because it is God who is the judge and who declares you innocent, for your sins are paid: "33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect [chosen] people? It is God who acquits them. 34 Who is going to convict them? It is Christ Jesus who died, even more, who was raised, and who also is at God’s right side. It is Christ Jesus who also pleads our case for us." Paul then continues with the beautiful passage: "35 Who will separate us from Christ’s love? Will we be separated by trouble, or distress, or harassment, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, We are being put to death all day long for your sake. We are treated like sheep for slaughter. 37 But in all these things we win a sweeping victory through the one who loved us. 38 I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers 39 or height or depth, or any other thing that is created." In conclusion, for the people who "struggle with thoughts like god doesnt love you" as you said, I reply with meditating on and thinking about verses 38 and 39. God isn't in the way. If you run to Him, He will not fail to catch you. As Jesus tells in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15), after the son insulted his father by wanting his inheritance before his father was even dead, after the son went away and wasted all his money like a fool, after the son ended up in poverty and could only find a job feeding pigs (which is SUPER degrading for him in their Jewish culture), after he was so starving that he wanted to even eat the pig's food. He realized that his father might have some mercy on him by hiring him as a servant because his father's servant weren't anywhere as bad off as he was in his filthy state. After all these things, he decides that he will turn back and tell his father that he sinned against his father and against God and ask to be hired as a servant. Jesus continues: " When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, but I’m starving to death! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son. Take me on as one of your hired hands.” ’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. His father ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him. 21 Then his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! 23 Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting 24 because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate." We've all been fools in some way or another. I've certainly messed up bad even after knowing better. I can only hope for God's forgiveness, as God forgives you if you ask him. There isn't anything separating you from Him so you can go to him. If we turn to him with repentance he will forgive us and welcome us into his family. He loves you. We all have suffering, some more than others. Some have sickness, some have persecution, some go through terrible tragedies. Being in a bad situation or having fears doesn't discount you for God's love. He loved us even when we sin and even before we loved him, so he will love us still regardless of what happens to us.