Anxieties and Spiritual Promptings

One of the things that i truly appreciate, at times, is the reality that God communicates with man. As i clumsily walk through life making a mess and getting into all sorts of jams it becomes clear that life can be unmanageable. Circumstances can overwhelm us and we can find ourselves with problems on our hands that we simply cannot solve. At such times it seems a little easier to get on my knees and ask God for help. The pride barrier is a little easier to overcome when we are under particular stresses, especially when we can see no way out. I can look back and reflect on times where God has delivered me from bondage and eased my load. There is no question that he has been the architect with the plan to free me from my problems. Problems, however, persist and the process continues as life moves forward. As God communicates with me, there is a calmness and clarity that can come with these promptings. Inspiration from God is sweet. Joseph Smith made reference to inspiration as, "intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon". On the other hand, while in the grip of OCD, there can be invasive thoughts. Ideas and notions that seem to pop into mind. These can be powerful and gripping. Whereas Jospeh Smith referred to, "sudden strokes of ideas" these unwelcome obsessional thoughts are often accompanied by an unsettling feeling. Obsessive thoughts might relate to checking (Did i turn the stove off?), rumination over past events, imagining events or motivations that never occurred etc. Sometimes a thought may reoccur making us wonder whether or not it is a message from God. We may feel bad or worried about something and attach greater significance to it. We must always remember that God loves us and that His messages are for our benefit and that His Spirit uplifts and edifies. All of us need to repent and put things right in our lives and on a daily basis but we must not confuse negative anxious thinking with messages from our loving Heavenly Father. If you are a sufferer of OCD I suggest that contact with qualified professionals can help to sort out our disordered thinking. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a Bishop can refer you to LDS Family Services Counsellors. These trained professionals are in a place where they can understand both the Gospel and mental health issues that can blight our attempts to live it. Our obsessional thoughts and fears are not creations of God.