How can one accept their sinfulness without excessive guilt or perfectionism?

@Anonymous I know what you mean about ‘accepting you are sinful,’ though. My OCD makes me feel like I have to be good enough in order to be saved, or like I’m in constant danger of loosing my salvation by thinking the wrong thoughts or similar things, and that’s only the tip of the mental iceberg. Something I remind myself of is Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” When I’m in a thought spiral, I try to remind myself not to trust my own thoughts and fears and instead trust what God says, and that is that we are sinners, yes, but sinners saved by grace, eternally forgiven and no longer bound and beholden to sin but set free by the infinite grace and mercy of God alone, so that no man may boast. Where we need to put our trust is in God, not ourselves. Because isn’t it exhausting to try to trust ourselves, try to be perfect all the time, try to make no mistakes ever and spiral every time we do? (If you’re anything like me, that is). OCD wants us to trust ourselves, and that’s where the misery comes from. Peace comes from trusting in God.

@Anonymous I get that alot that we can repent and move on but that doesnt make you realize its a sin...like its bad. I have a really bad view on this cause for me it feels liks i accept Jesus as my saviour so i can do anything bad cause if i repent then im okay... theres no trying to better then i was yesterday... alot of people live like this, "its okay,God forgives me" this doesnt make sense for me... there are many non believers who behave way better them believers, are kind and friendly, but they doesnt believe so they go to hell, the same place murderers and thiefs go... and those "christians" who just accepted Jesus but they lived a sinful life still they go to heaven cause they believed... One thing that gives me hope is that maybe i dont understand God and the bible, so i need to learn

@PRIV8 Don’t worry, the Bible completely addresses what you’re talking about. Romans 6:1-2 say “1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” The Bible says that that attitude of having a ‘free pass’ towards sin is completely wrong, and people who behave that way are not actually saved. I recommend you read through all of Romans—it addresses a lot more than just that misconception. And I *definitely* don’t know everything about the Bible, but I’m happy to try to answer any other questions you have about to the best of my ability, though again I’d definitely recommend you read Romans first (also read the Bible in general, haha)

@Anonymous Im rereading what you wrote and i kinda understand it now, not to believe im doing something wrong everytime, not to listen to my mind making me feel guilt and trying to be perfect for God, trust that its good what im doing and i will be able to see if something is wrong(by trusting God). This seems like you go against God but no, i remember once i was able to silence oce and my mind, and i was able to recognise what is right and wrong but before i was worrying so much about things... The thing that got me out of this was when i got told to not change the bible to our own understanding, to feel right for us, or make God a god that it looks good for us... and thats really triggered me cause i felt like my realization of who God really is maybe isnt reality cause i feel so good about it and that might be cause i made a god for me that makes me live happy... That "God" you hear about in churches sound more like a strict emperror for me, who you need to follow, or you will suffeer. How i understood God by my experiences this year was a loving father who isnt that strict and all the rules He gave to us has a meaning, and living with Him is much more simple then "religious" people say... But after some time this made me feel like maybe im changing who really God is cause i feel so good about this realization and i going to a different path...

@PRIV8 The thing about God is that He is both. He is a loving Father, Who’s commandments were given for our good, and He has promised to give us peace, *and* He is also a just God will punish those who die without accepting salvation. I understand your fears about changing who God is and that feeling good makes you feel afraid, I completely share both of those fears/issues… and that’s one of the reasons we can’t trust ourselves, and have to trust what the Bible says about God. Again, Proverbs 3:5-6! The Bible says that God loves us, wants to give us rest and peace and to have a relationship with and understanding of Him. I say this knowing exactly 100% how hard it is to trust because I wouldn’t be on this app or getting therapy if I didn’t know, but while our feelings and emotions change, God and truth do not change, and the Bible is where certainty is found. Again, I strongly recommend you read all of Romans because it addresses a lot of the common doubts and fears people have, as well as Philippians, Philippians 4 (and Philippians 4:8 to be even more specific is one I remind myself of all the time) in particular. We can’t trust our hearts. But we can absolutely trust God.

I had but it wasnt christian and it counts so much...

@PRIV8 Man I so get you. I haven’t had my first appointment through NOCD yet but having a Christian therapist is so important to me as well