Religious OCD

@hellopeople I don’t feel like I can accept the uncertainty “maybe, maybe not,” with my own sweet innocent little boy who just wants to be a Christian so badly, that I confused and ruined myself because of my own OCD.

@dimples4christ1 Trust God to work in your sons life’s and pray for him. Close family’s salvation is hard for people without ocd , with ocd it makes it completely unbearable and I’m so sorry for the pain you are enduring currently- It’s evident you love your child and want all the best for him. A deeper understanding of the Gospel helped me immensely. Trusting and believing in the blood of Christ to cover all sins. We can accept that this life is not about us and what we want- but about glorifying God and living for Him-it’s dying to self. You can do ERP for this even if it feels like you can’t accept the uncertainty- maybe he’s false convert, maybe not! but I’m going to keep living for God though this uncertainty and make that my priority. Thank God this is not on your shoulders, but Gods! One quote I like is that the God the has complete control over ALL things is OUR loving Father. Try to give this burden to Him 🙂

@hellopeople I’ve been able to do this with others, even my spouse but I CANNOT with my child. It’s unbearable. I truly don’t believe God would allow me to reassure him and lead him astray when I’ve been diligently seeking to point him towards Christ his entire life. It is so much more complicated since both he and I have religious OCD. I can’t even tell you when I was saved because I worried about it for so long. I wanted his journey to be solid and normal, not like mine. I wouldn’t wish the mental torture of feeling unsaveable on anyone! I attend a southern baptist church and I believe that compounds my issues. I would probably do much better in a reformed church.

@dimples4christ1 The movie American Gospel:Christ Alone- showed me that we can have assurance of salvation. To give this burden to God is not giving up on your child- you are just giving the burden to the only One who has control over it so you can have time to love and care for your son🙂. I’m so sorry for the torture you are going though friend 🙏

@hellopeople I just wish I knew what to do from here on out. Whether I should encourage him in his walk and allow him to be baptized or if I should insist he truly hasn’t been converted.

@dimples4christ1 It seems like you want have either a definite yes or a definite no in regards to salvation in order to move on but you don’t have to have that certainty to be a wonderful parent! Have you utilized the free ERP practices on this app? Something maybe helpful could studying God’s word on parents role and what they should do! Proverbs 22:6 for example! You can always encourage him in his walk, but as a Baptist myself, we know it’s the individuals choice and that the act of being baptized does not save them.

@hellopeople I don’t want to confuse him more ! I don’t want to allow him to be baptized if he isn’t converted. He literally felt like God wouldn’t save him. Was talking about how I’d be killed himself before the age of accountability he could still go to heaven. His OCD was telling him he must not really want to be saved because it wasn’t happening and coming up with plans on how he could somehow get back to earth if he went to hell and learn more about the Lord. I think all these desires made me realize I shouldn’t prevent him from being saved any longer, but I have feared false conversion !

@dimples4christ1 I see, has he done ERP? Or the free exercises on this app? As baptists we know that Baptism does not save us. If he thinks that it saves then Baptism could be a compulsion, feeling like we need to do something “right now!!” Or else. But we know that giving into ocd compulsions never satisfies and we need to do more and more to “prove” something which actually hurts us more. In ERP we learn that to get past the anxiety we must sit with it, no way around but through, and to accept the uncertainty that is causing us immense distress. We can put off doing compulsions, even if just for 20 min that is beneficial! I hope you are doing okay today. 🙏

@hellopeople I’m a little better. I think he wants to be baptized because he was told he wasn’t ready to be saved for nearly two years and he is seeking a “feeling,” or some elaborate event to seal the deal. I have told him that his salvation is not based on a feeling but on Christ alone. But he was told, “God will speak to your heart,” or “You’ll know when it’s time,” so I think he is desperately seeking a way to FEEL saved. He is scheduled for an intake with NOCD early December. I have been in therapy about a month, but have done other stuff in the past.

@dimples4christ1 I was part of WOF movement that told me those things too that I had to “feel” a certain way- how hilarious that is exactly what people suffering with OCD do not need to hear!!! Wow it sounds like you are a wonderful mother pointing him back to Jesus!!! How invaluable!!!

And then what?