Dr. Ian Osborn on Scrupulosity

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  1. This is terrific. What do you think about some of it being warfare? I said Lord these thoughts are not from the Lord or me in Christ but the world, flesh, devil. I rebuke the devil and trust you with these thoughts. I have no regret because my sins are forgiven by you at the cross, so my guilt and shame and fears are gone. This is how I treated my OCD, horrible thoughts that were intrusive, by trusting in Christ and the gospel. What do you think. I have been really good even if a thought came it was in the back of my mind for a little while and not magnified in the forefront of my mind. I so agree with that God wants to grow me in my faith and trust Him with my mental illness. I was told 18 years ago I had skitzo-effective. My last two and a half years have been amazing as by the teaching I have received I have began to live a wonderful life, even when hard times come. Thanks

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  2. All sickness has its origins in the Enemy, and got its foothold in a perfect creation through sin. And of course the Opposition uses whatever weapons he can against each individual Christian. But the promise of Romans 8:28 tells us that God turns the tables on that kind of thing and uses even our suffering and misfortune for our benefit. The Cross is the model of how God deals with the Opposition's antics- and there is no more powerful thing in the universe than the Cross. God uses even our suffering for our benefit!

    God's blessings, and may He continue to comfort, strengthen and uphold you until the Day when you no longer have to deal with neurobiological problems or any other kind!

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  3. Yes Sir and thank you and He has and is.

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  4. I am so sorry to bother you again. I was reading about Martin Luthers OCD. So it is possible to be OCD over the gospel. I think I am. Not that is the only thing, there are fears, guilt, genetic, medical trauma, hard circumstances all at the same time I got sick in my early 40's but I had just learned the gospel and the joy it brings and I moved and couldn't find teaching on it so I tried to learn it and teach it. I have been consumed with understanding it as much as I can and giving it out to all I can. Most every time I get psychotic it is concerning this in some way.

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    1. Yes it is possible... some call it 'Religious Pure O'
      Google OCDLA they have plenty onfo

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    2. No, it's not, for two reasons. First, you don't "get" scrupulosity or any other form of OCD "from" anything. It's a neurological disorder with a genetic basis. You might want to read my response below.

      And secondly, it's hard to see how the Gospel- "Jesus has taken away all of your sins and has given you eternal life as a completely free gift-" could "give" you anything but joy and a new life. The Law, of course, is another matter.

      The word "Gospel" means "good news." While the word is also used in a broader sense for the complete message of the New Testament, it's primary meaning is precisely that message which sets you free from all fear and guilt.

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    3. I might add that the distinction between Law and Gospel is the key to being able to understand the Bible, and really the basis for all of biblical Christianity. You might want to Google it.

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    4. Hi I've been reading the above thank you I see now that alot of my anxiety still comes from a mixed perception of God , if I don't do enough if I get it wrong ect and yes I agree we have genetic neuro problems, and of course the difference from the law to gospel is free gift grace, where wounds have not been healed the brain has been programmed from childhood and lots of tramuer through life
      I had prayer ministry and was delivered from some, but I see that the brain as is written to keep renewing the mind it's is strongholds of the mind the little girl inside says woops got it wrong run fear flight daddy's going to punish humilate and punish me, I now deserve nothing good the old recordings and thinking have to be changed it's not that the fear goes away after years of protecting myself becoming s christism I am still learning that I can trust God my human mind says woops here's a massive trial better sort this out myself pride it takes time and some days are extremely hard my granddaughter with chronic illness sezuires for over 5 months I had cancer mother brothery father alziemers my husband triple heartburn pass I know in my head what the word says there will be trouble and trials but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world I hold on to that my obedience to over come when I start to withdraw from people when in terrible pain watching my granddaughter and daughter go through emmense pain is lord ronans8 you said you work all things to good of those who love you then that's where I get stuck saying lord I doubt my love for you I've been angry and frightening thinking that you might abandon me and then I realise that's because in my former years I was abandoned and pushed aside by my father when I then had lived in great fear of him I chose to forgive him care for him when he was sick and prayed that the lord would in time come and take him and I believe Jesus answered those prayers I see ocd as just patterns of coping mechanisms that we have created to deal with anxiety the paranoia of people rejecting us and I try hard to push myself out regardless of what I'm feeling not always but as I fearfully tread out I'm honest with God saying I don't really want to do this Jesus forgive me for not trusting you forgive me lord you know the way my mind works I'm not feeling safe BUT never the less I'm stepping out and expecting you to help me the scripture says perfect love cast out all fear this one has helped me enormously it doesn't say I will cast out the fear it doesn't say I won't have phycotic thoughts it doesn't say I will feel safe it just says my perfect love will cast out all fear I have used this one so many times knees shaking and only pleased at times that it was over but never the less it was the word that gave me strength to push through feeling afraid thank you so much for your reminder ocd suffered as my self tend to look inwards alot instead of upwards outwards that's the reprogramming we are on some weeks months I don't cope but that's ok too Pau was given a thorn in the flesh so maybe this is our thorn a real need for a father's love hope I haven't gone on to much bless you all

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    5. We all tend to relate to God to some degree the way we related to our human fathers. And human fathers mess up. Some of them mess up a lot!

      Dr. Rod Rosenbladt is very big on that point. He was blessed in having a dad who modeled what God is actually like for him quite well. One night when Dr. Rosenbladt was a teenager he and some friends got drunk and wrecked his car. He called his dad, full of dread. After asking whether he was OK, Dad asked where he was and said he'd be right there to pick him up.

      They drove home in silence, Rod's eyes on the floor in shame. The elder Rosenbladt observed this. When they got home, Rod's mom started to say something, but Dad held up a finger and said, "Not one word!"

      The two went into the living room and sat in silence for a while. Finally, Dad asked a question whose answer he already knew. He'd been observing Rod carefully.

      "So, son," he said. "How are you feeling?

      He told him. Then they sat in silence a while longer. Finally, Dad said, "Well, I don't have to go to work tomorrow. What do you say we see what we can do about getting you a new car?"

      That was it. Not one word of reproach. None was needed. Rod was already broken by the Law. All he needed was the Gospel.

      Dr. Rosenbladt says that people get angry when they hear that story. But that's the kind of Father God is. His wrath is only for the sake of His mercy. Once it has driven us to our knees, we find that there is no more punishment to be borne. Jesus has taken it all on Himself.

      All that is left is accepting, forgiving love.

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  5. OCD is a biological illness. A person is OCD over abnormal brain structures and biochemistry. It may manifest itself, as it did in Luther's case (and as it does in scrupulosity generally) in concern over one's salvation. The Gospel, properly understood, is a weapon against this.

    The Gospel is entirely outside of you. It isn't about you, or whether you're this, or doing that. It isn't a demand. It isn't an offer. It's a proclamation. It's a promise,

    It isn't about striving, but about resting in the knowledge that Jesus has already done everything that needs doing. It's about looking away from yourself, to HIm. It isn't something that needs to be understood, nor is it something you should feel "guilted" into "giving out." It's good news! And when you realize that you don't have to struggle or strive or be driven by guilt to do this or that to earn a salvation that is absolutely free, you will WANT to share that good news.

    It's not a "have to." It's a "get to.."

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  6. Hi everyone, I am a master's counseling student studying scrupulosity and looking for persons to participate in an anonymous survey about scrupulosity and the family. If you could help me out by taking this survey (it takes about 15 min) you can be entered in a drawing for an $20 amazon gift card and I would be VERY grateful. Thanks so much! http://tinyurl.com/qa99lga

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    1. If you (temporarily) join the Group (see the link at the top of the page) you can reach the members more effectively that way.

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