Journaling Away From OCD

Hi guys! Sorry this blog is a long time in coming. We went up north on a small vacation and I’ve been having some issues with my internet. But, I’m back and ready to start blogging again. 🙂

If there was only one piece of advice I could offer those struggling with OCD, it would be to immerse yourself deeply in Scripture, to more than just uproot the sinful fruits in your life, but to then replace them with rich, abiding, and eternal truth. This is a big part of applying spiritual armor. 

But how do we do that? If you’re anything like me, you like detailed instructions showing you not only where to go, but exactly how to get there. You need to know what the problem is and how to fix it. Journaling is one practical way to fight OCD.

I understand that journaling isn’t for everyone, but we’re not going to just write about our day or our emotions. We’re going to write down truth so that, slowly but surely, it can be embedded into our hearts.

I just love a blank journal. It holds such potential. I remember when I decided to start journaling in hopes of relieving OCD symptoms. I happened to have a very pretty journal sitting in my bookcase waiting to be used. The front says, “God has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11.

I opened it up and, unsure where to begin, starting asking myself some questions such as: What is OCD? What am I afraid of? What do I hope to accomplish when I compulse? 

I made a mental list of my answers, along with a list of my fears and struggles, which was about a mile long. Then I realized that the root issue wasn’t the things I was afraid of. The real issue was why I was afraid of those things.

After some more deep thinking I realized I was struggling with doubting God. My head didn’t, but my sinful heart did. So I made a new list of subjects to study on:

God’s goodness

God’s provision

God’s love

God’s faithfulness

God’s mercy

And so on.

I then made catergories of issues I struggled with like fears, feelings of impending doom, etc.

Finally, I began searching Scripture for information. As I found verses that pertained, I’d write them down in their proper sections. Verses on God’s goodness calmed my anxious spirit. Bad feelings were calmed when I read about nothing being left up to chance, because God is sovereign over all. I studied up on verses about discernment which helped me relearn to separate irrationality from truth. 

I started adding quotes to my journal when I developed a great love for Charles Spurgeon and other people of faith.

After hours and hours (over the period of days), my journal began to take on the form of a book. Some pages are merely filled with a single verse or quote written out artistically. Some pages are packed. Every time I open it I’m encouraged.

Even when I’ve filled a category to my current satisfaction, the journal keeps serving a beautiful purpose, since I can take it out any time I am struggling with something and read verses and quotes of wisdom about that specific issue.

I do not currently journal every single day, but it was the initial assembling of my journal that gave me a jump start in the fight against OCD. I keep my journal close by and it has come in handy more than once.

When you feel you’ve copied all the verses you can find about an issue, keep digging. Study the surrounding passages. Study the language. Find some sermons on a specific topic. Ask your pastor for some study materials. Commit some Scripture to memory. 

Pray that God helps those new roots to grow deeper and deeper. It is in Him we find peace and grace to live every day with true joy, even when we are weary of fighting. 

This joy, becoming more like Jesus, the promise of heaven, is all part of the prize we run for. 

And it is always worth the effort. 

Some excerpts from my journal: 

Under the category of Bad Feelings:

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:6-8 (emphasis mine)

“My feelings are not God. God is God. My feelings do not define truth. God’s Word defines truth. My feelings are echoes and responses to what my mind perceives. And sometimes – many times – my feelings are out of sync with the truth. When that happens – and it happens every day in some measure – I try not to bend the truth to justify my imperfect feelings, but rather, I plead with God: ‘Purify my perception of Your truth and transform my feelings so they are in sync with the truth.’” – John Piper 

Under the category of God’s Goodness:

“Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!” Psalms 31:19

“You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.” Psalms 119:68

“There beats a heart in heaven that always love us, a tongue that always pleads for us, and arm that always fights for us.”- Charles Spurgeon

Under the category of Discernment:

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” Psalms 19:7-11

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” Psalms 111:10

“He that perverts truth shall soon be incapable of knowing the true from the false. If you persist in wearing glasses that distort, everything will be distorted.” – Charles Spurgeon

Under the catergory of Fear in general:

“Fear arises when we imagine that everything depends on us.” So “Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.” – Elizabeth Elliott (emphasis mine)

“If my life is surrendered to God, all I well. Let me not grab it back, as though it were in peril in His hands, but would be safer in mine.” – Elizabeth Elliott

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3

…for God gave us not a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

“As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!” Psalms 40:11

“Behold, God is my helper; the LORD is the upholder of my life.” Psalm 54:4

“We are meddling with God’s business when we let all manner of imaginings loose, predicting disaster, contemplating possibilities instead of following, one day at a time, God’s plain and simple pathway.” – Elizabeth Elliott

“Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” Psalms 119:165

I hope this helps you! More than just writing these truths down, meditate on them. Let them sink in.

If you’re not a Christian, I’d encourage you to read the gospel of John and 1 John. All who repent of their sins and surrender their life to Jesus, trusting in His work on the cross, will be saved. 🙂

© Grace Baeten 2020

Photo Credit: Isabella Baeten