As Christians striving to live faithfully, we recognize the profound impact of our spiritual lives on our physical and emotional well-being. The struggles we face in a broken world can manifest in various ways, and for some, this takes the form of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). While modern psychology has developed practical tools to address OCD, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a truly holistic approach must integrate our relationship with God. As a Christian counselor, I believe that understanding OCD through Christian counseling and its biblical lens offers a powerful path toward freedom and healing.
The Nature of the Battle: Spiritual and Physical
OCD can feel like a relentless assault of unwanted thoughts and urges. Some clients described OCD as feeling a lot like a spiritual battle – as if they were fighting off an enemy. This statement resonates with the very nature of obsession, which, etymologically, speaks of being under siege. For the Christian, these intrusive thoughts can indeed feel like darts from an adversary seeking to steal peace and distort truth.
However, we are also embodied beings, and the anxieties of the heart can profoundly affect our physical experience. Therefore, effective Christian counseling for OCD addresses the whole person – spirit, mind, and body. This often involves encouraging individuals to engage with evidence-based therapies like ERP while grounding the process in biblical principles and relying on God.
Understanding ERP: Facing Fear with Faith
ERP involves gradually exposing oneself to the thoughts and situations that trigger obsessions while resisting the urge to perform compulsions. For a Christian, this can sometimes feel counterintuitive, as exemplified by the woman who struggled with intrusive thoughts of harming her cat. Intentionally bringing those thoughts closer felt wrong, even sinful, conflicting with the biblical call to think about noble and pure things (Philippians 4:8).
However, a deeper understanding reveals that ERP, when approached biblically, isn’t about dwelling on evil but confronting the fear that evil might take hold. It’s about acknowledging the unwanted thoughts that God already knows are there (1 John 3:20). Just as truth-telling is vital in the church (Ephesians 4:15), honestly facing our internal struggles is a step toward freedom.
Furthermore, resisting compulsions aligns with the biblical principle of not giving in to the desires of the flesh (Romans 13:14). While the immediate benefit of ERP is engaging the biological aspects of OCD and weakening its hold, the ultimate aim for the Christian is obedience to God and a deeper reliance on Him.
Taking Thoughts Captive: A Biblical Strategy
The struggle with OCD often centers on the overwhelming power of intrusive thoughts. Many believe that the compulsions would cease if they could just stop the thoughts. However, the more we try to suppress a thought, the stronger it often becomes. As found in 2 Corinthians 10:5, the biblical solution is not suppression but to “destroy arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
In practical terms, this involves learning to distinguish between the awareness of an intrusive thought and giving it problem-solving attention. For many with OCD, rumination – getting stuck on a thought and trying to analyze or neutralize it – is itself a compulsion. Christian counseling helps individuals recognize this pattern and intentionally shift their focus. It’s not about denying the thought’s existence but refusing to engage with it as if it holds ultimate truth or demands immediate action. Understanding OCD through Christian counseling and its biblical lens helps us see these thoughts not as our core identity but as intrusive attacks that need to be brought under the authority of Christ.
(Check out the blog post “What You Think Matters”)
The Risk of Trusting God: Stepping into Uncertainty
Choosing not to engage in compulsions feels risky. For someone with religious OCD (scrupulosity), this might involve the fear of judgment for not performing a religious ritual “just right.” The core of this struggle lies in a deep discomfort with uncertainty. OCD demands absolute certainty, but faith, by its very nature, involves trusting God even when we don’t have all the answers.
As the author of one account eloquently stated, fighting scrupulosity feels like “leaping off a ladder blindfolded” and trusting that Jesus will catch us. There is no guaranteed sign or audible voice assuring us of safety, but when our trust rests solely on God’s character—who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised—our lives do change.
Engaging with God During the Battle
The power of Christian counseling in the context of OCD lies in its ability to integrate the practical tools of ERP with a vibrant relationship with God. While engaging with a feared thought, we can cry out to Him. While resisting compulsion, we can talk to Him. This transforms the battle from a purely cognitive one – me against OCD – into a reliance on the One who fully understands our suffering and holds the ultimate answer.
We cast our anxieties on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). The Bible doesn’t promise freedom from anxiety, but it guides us in how to frame it and reminds us of God’s constant love (Philippians 4:6-8; 1 John 4:19). Walking with God in OCD isn’t a quick fix; it’s an integral part of the Christian life. Our ultimate goal isn’t necessarily the eradication of the problem but a deeper dependence on God’s presence, whether we feel it or not. Understanding OCD through Christian counseling and its biblical lens empowers us to see our struggle within the context of God’s sovereignty and His promise to never leave nor forsake us.
Courage in Small Steps
Practicing ERP can often feel insignificant at the moment. It doesn’t magically erase the anxiety or the unwanted thoughts. But the key lies in the gradual movement, the slow and steady steps forward. Each act of resisting a compulsion, each moment of sitting with an uncomfortable thought while turning to God, builds upon the last.
OCD demands certainty, but as Christians, we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). We may not see the path ahead clearly, but we take the next step, trusting that God is with us in the fog. He sees clearly, and He has never given us reason to believe He will abandon us.
Christian counseling offers a powerful and viable solution for OCD by acknowledging both the psychological and spiritual dimensions of this challenging condition. By integrating the practical tools of ERP with a deep reliance on God’s truth, love, and presence, individuals can find the courage to face their fears, break free from the grip of compulsions, and walk in freedom through Christ.
Are You Ready Counseling offers Biblical support online. Receive counsel from an experienced licensed counselor recognized by most insurance companies. It also provides affordable self-pay rates. Experience the difference when you let God counsel you through life’s most challenging moments. Contact Jane Perkins, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who integrates Biblical Faith and Counseling to address your mental health needs – Anxiety, Addictions, Depression, Decision Making, Grief & Loss, and much more.
