Is it the thorn in my side?

[Ernie]

I'm not really sure where to post this topic, but since I frequent this the most I chose here. I have posted before on my brain wiring...struggling with ocd, anxiety, etc and in turn making "certainty", "knowing", impossible for me( I do realize many say certainty shouldn't be looked for that's where faith comes in )I have never done any drugs or drinking etc so this perspective is not created but just simply how I'm wired. For the most part I like the meloncholy deep thinking creative analytical personality I have however it is very difficult in my walk with the Lord. I crave the assurance that so many seem to have but I just seems impossible for me to attain it. I just crave that "knowing" and "assurance " so many seem to have. I am curious if you think this is the thorn in the side that Paul talked about that will help make my testimony?

I know some of my posts seem like a broken record but that is just showing genuinely how I am I suppose. I always say I hope the Lord takes my strong "hope" as faith.

 

[Lambano]

I am curious if you think this is the thorn in the side that Paul talked about that will help make my testimony?

I don't know if it is or isn't (that would entail knowing something only God knows), but either way, God's answer to Paul still applies:

 

[newnature]

I'm not really sure where to post this topic, but since I frequent this the most I chose here. I have posted before on my brain wiring...struggling with ocd, anxiety, etc and in turn making "certainty", "knowing", impossible for me( I do realize many say certainty shouldn't be looked for that's where faith comes in )I have never done any drugs or drinking etc so this perspective is not created but just simply how I'm wired. For the most part I like the meloncholy deep thinking creative analytical personality I have however it is very difficult in my walk with the Lord. I crave the assurance that so many seem to have but I just seems impossible for me to attain it. I just crave that "knowing" and "assurance " so many seem to have. I am curious if you think this is the thorn in the side that Paul talked about that will help make my testimony?

I know some of my posts seem like a broken record but that is just showing genuinely how I am I suppose. I always say I hope the Lord takes my strong "hope" as faith.

1 Peter 2:6, Peter is urging believers to live as a spiritual house, built on the foundation of Christ, having laid the foundation of holiness as your response to God’s grace. Turn your gaze to the bedrock of it all, Christ himself, the cornerstone upon which everything stands and of believers as living stones being built into a spiritual house. This metaphor is more than poetic, it’s a rallying cry for Christians to embrace their identity and mission, even in the face of rejection and opposition.

 

[Anchorite]

Sorry about your emotional struggles. Famous Bible teachers have suffered from similar afflictions.

Charles Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers, owned more than thirty books on mental health. He read about depression, wrote about depression, and suffered from depression. Spurgeon’s letters contain numerous references to his sinking spirits. He often called himself a “prisoner” and wept without knowing why.

“I pity a dog who has to suffer what I have.”

Some biographers have claimed Spurgeon suffered from bipolar disorder, oscillating between highs and lows, ups and downs, productivity and inability. Others believed his “fainting fits” were also caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I'm not really sure where to post this topic,

Addictions and Recovey board seems like the default / defacto place for topic like this even if it does not fit the literal title, it seems like where most of the life issues and self help topics tend to go.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I'm not really sure where to post this topic, but since I frequent this the most I chose here. I have posted before on my brain wiring...struggling with ocd, anxiety, etc and in turn making "certainty", "knowing", impossible for me( I do realize many say certainty shouldn't be looked for that's where faith comes in )I have never done any drugs or drinking etc so this perspective is not created but just simply how I'm wired. For the most part I like the meloncholy deep thinking creative analytical personality I have however it is very difficult in my walk with the Lord. I crave the assurance that so many seem to have but I just seems impossible for me to attain it. I just crave that "knowing" and "assurance " so many seem to have. I am curious if you think this is the thorn in the side that Paul talked about that will help make my testimony?

I know some of my posts seem like a broken record but that is just showing genuinely how I am I suppose. I always say I hope the Lord takes my strong "hope" as faith.

Yes, I think the Lord does take your struggles that way.


PS - You also should not feel bad if you have an analytic personality. I got one too. God gave you it for a reason!

 

[quietthinker]

I'm not really sure where to post this topic, but since I frequent this the most I chose here. I have posted before on my brain wiring...struggling with ocd, anxiety, etc and in turn making "certainty", "knowing", impossible for me( I do realize many say certainty shouldn't be looked for that's where faith comes in )I have never done any drugs or drinking etc so this perspective is not created but just simply how I'm wired. For the most part I like the meloncholy deep thinking creative analytical personality I have however it is very difficult in my walk with the Lord. I crave the assurance that so many seem to have but I just seems impossible for me to attain it. I just crave that "knowing" and "assurance " so many seem to have. I am curious if you think this is the thorn in the side that Paul talked about that will help make my testimony?

I know some of my posts seem like a broken record but that is just showing genuinely how I am I suppose. I always say I hope the Lord takes my strong "hope" as faith.

Assurance Ernie, flows from a bone fide relationship. It is the result of grasping in ones understanding the kindness of God in his gift given.

'if any man thirsts let him come to me and drink'.....Jesus
'he who comes to me will I in no wise cast out'.....Jesus
'if any man desires to know the will of God, he will know it'......Jesus

I get encouragement by hearing and watching the podcasts in the ReDiscovering God link in my signature below....check it out....and pick one which looks interesting to you.

 

[newnature]

1 Peter 2:7, this rejection wasn’t accidental, it was deliberate, the religious leaders and many others dismiss Jesus, refusing to acknowledge his authority and divinity. Yet, their rejection did not diminish Jesus Christ’s role, instead, it fulfilled God’s plan, making him the very cornerstone of salvation. Have you felt rejected or dismissed, as though you didn’t measure up to the world standards, Peter’s words remind you, that what the world rejects, God often chooses and elevates. Just as Jesus was rejected, but vindicated, so too are his followers invited to find their worth and identity in him, not in human opinion.

 

[newnature]

Peter doesn’t stop at Christ’s role as the as the cornerstone, he invites believers to see themselves as integral parts of this spiritual house. 1 Peter 2:5, the weight of this statement as living stones, you are not lifeless or insignificant, you are active participants in God’s divine construction project, each believer has a unique role and place, chosen and shaped by God to fit perfectly into his grand design. Together, each believer form a spiritual house, a dwelling place for God’s present on earth. Romans 12:1, Paul shifts from explaining the foundations of faith to urging believers to live out that faith in a tangible way, he challenges believers with a radical call.

Paul lays out what it means to be fully surrendered to God, inviting you to live as living sacrifices in response to the grace you’ve received. In the Old Testament, sacrifices were typically animals offered on an altar, symbolizing repentance and devotion to God. Paul redefined sacrifice, calling you to offer your own lives, not in death, but in your daily living as acts of worship, every action thought and choice you make can become an offering to God, a way to honor him with your life. Paul’s call to living sacrifice isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about everyday faithfulness, an intentional decision to live in a way that reflects your love for God.

 

[newnature]

The mind changes, desires align with God’s heart and the conscience becomes sensitive to what was previously ignored. The Holy Spirit not only awakens you, but begins to dwell in you, guiding each step, the old life is not merely left behind, it is replaced by a new nature, alive and in communion with heaven. Spiritual rebirth is the foundation of any true Christian journey and recognizing it keeps you humble and aware that everything is by grace, not by your own effort. This new birth however, is not the final point, it is the starting point for something greater, the life you receive did not come by merit, but by grace.

 

[newnature]

Ephesians 4:1, Paul begins with an exhortation that carries the weight of his own experience, he identifies himself as a prisoner of the Lord and from that condition implores that the believers walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which they were called. This is not a casual suggestion, it is a urgent appeal that arises from a deep understanding that the Christian life is not just a change of religion, but a complete transformation of identity. The word walk, does not refer to an isolated moment, but to a continuous lifestyle, a daily walk that reflects who you have truly become in Christ.

 

[newnature]

Paul lists the characteristics of that worthy walk, humility, gentleness, patience and bearing one another in love, these are not merely moral virtues, they are evidence of a life transformed by the gospel. The humility mentioned here, was despised in Roman culture as a sign of weakness, but in the Kingdom of God, it is the mark of those who have understood who they really are, sinners saved by grace with no space for arrogance of self-sufficiency. Gentleness is not pacivipty, but controlled strength, the ability to respond to offenses with the same grace you have received from Christ. Patience is the endurance that does not give up on people, even when they fail repeatedly and bearing with one another in love is recognizing that the Christian community is made up of people in the process of transformation, not perfect saints. This worthy walk is not solitary, it takes place in the context of the body of Christ, where each member contributes to the collective growth towards spiritual maturity.

 

[newnature]

1 Corinthians chapter 13, love, not as a volatile affection, but as the only permanent reality in the economy of the Holy Spirit, the analysis of the term agape meaning love, unveils a force that does not arise from need, but from determination to seek the good of the other, regardless of their response or merit. In the world saturated with self-help narratives and a love conditioned on performance and self-gratification, the Paulin definition of a love that does not seek its own interests and that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, presents itself as a biological impossibility, achievable only through participation in the divine nature.

 

[newnature]

Ephesians 4:22, Paul uses a powerful metaphor, to put off the old man, the image is of someone removing old, worn, contaminated clothing. This clothing represents the old way of living, one that was corrupted by the desires of deceit. The old man is not just a set of bad habits, it is the fallen nature you inherited from Adam, the inclination to sin that dominates the life of one who is separated from God. Paul is saying that this nature cannot be reformed or educated, it needs to be removed, abandoned as something that no longer serves, a definitive action that should have happened at the moment of conversion, but which needs to be continuously applied in daily practice.

 

[stevesonthebay]

I'm not really sure where to post this topic, but since I frequent this the most I chose here. I have posted before on my brain wiring...struggling with ocd, anxiety, etc and in turn making "certainty", "knowing", impossible for me( I do realize many say certainty shouldn't be looked for that's where faith comes in )I have never done any drugs or drinking etc so this perspective is not created but just simply how I'm wired. For the most part I like the meloncholy deep thinking creative analytical personality I have however it is very difficult in my walk with the Lord. I crave the assurance that so many seem to have but I just seems impossible for me to attain it. I just crave that "knowing" and "assurance " so many seem to have. I am curious if you think this is the thorn in the side that Paul talked about that will help make my testimony?

I know some of my posts seem like a broken record but that is just showing genuinely how I am I suppose. I always say I hope the Lord takes my strong "hope" as faith.

I think you could say that mental illness just like physical disability can be a thorn in the side. If that means a setback that is more or less constantly there that you have to live with. That for the most part people would not have to live with generally speaking.

I say that as sometimes I think our fallen natures are a thorn in our side fundementally and then people have different compounding issues that just make life seem doubly hard.

Definitely mental illness like OCD can be debilitating. From what I understand anxiety disorders have increased tremendously in recent years and especially among young people. OCD is one of them for which I have personal knowledge from my son and daughter in different ways.

I think I was also the same when young but they had not diagnosed this. I don't think it ever goes away completely but rather managed and harnessed into positive and productive thinking. Which can become a blessing.

But these anxiety disorders are not something out of nowhere. OCD and another fast growing disorder which is body dysmorphia are usually about the natural and basic concerns all humans have. The normal developmental worries young people have with changes in cognitions into adulthood.

I think we have lost the art of a good upbringing. Social media has completely changed how people grow up and the information they get. Its confusing and full of misinformation.

My son benefits from listening to Gods word. Especially while relaxing at night. There is something about listening or reading Gods word that calms the soul. I think of David playing the harp and soothing Sauls madness.

But God uses professionals as well. A bit of therapy never harms. We all need it occassionally. Also surrounding yourself with positive people. Find others in a church or group that have similar experiences. Sharing and supporting each other.

As opposed to the world we know as Christians that no matter what God has our back. Don't doubt that God will not be there when you ask and come to Him in prayer. Satan wants to make people doubt and exploits our weaknesses. But if we trust in God He will keep us safe and we can overcome anything.

 

[newnature]

The old man is corrupted according to the desires of deceit, this expression reveals something profound about the nature of sin. The desires are not just intense wants, but deceptive desires which promise satisfaction and deliver emptiness, they operate through deceit, making sin appear attractive, harmless, even necessary. That is why someone who lives according to the flesh, justifies their actions, minimizes their consequences and blames circumstances or other people. Deceit is the tool that keeps the old man in control, it convinces the person that they can sin without reaping the consequences, that they can serve two masters, that they can negotiate with God.

Paul is categorical, this old man needs to be put off, there is no middle ground, there is no way to wear the new over the old. Putting off the old man is an act of death, Romans 6:6, our old man was crucified with Christ, so that the body of sin might be done away with. This means that Christian transformation is not merely behavioral, but ontological, it is a change on the level of being, when someone is in Christ, the old nature has been legally removed from the throne, it no longer has the right to reign.

 

[Alive2]

Ernie. I think you should spend a lot of time reading scripture and talking to the Lord while doing so.
As to hope? Do a word search in the NT on hope.
Here are just a couple…
“For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”

(Romans 8:24-25 NKJV)

When a scripture speaks to you where you are. Live there. Make it your own and talk to the Lord about it.
I have found great comfort in Romans 8:28. That is where I live, so to speak.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

(Romans 8:28 NKJV)
Ernie. Jesus loves you and made you a promise. ”I will never leave you or forsake you”
Perhaps you could live there.
I pray Jesus will lead you to Help.

 

[newnature]

Many Christians continue to listen to the old man, because they do not understand that the old man has already been judged and condemned on the cross, they live as if they were still slaves to a nature that has already been deposed. Putting off the old man, is to recognize daily, that the old man no longer has authority over you. It is to refuse to heed the old man’s requests, treating the old man as something dead, powerless, without rights and this requires constant vigilance, because the old man tries to convince you that he is still alive.

1 Corinthians 6:19, where the body is designated as the inner sanctuary where divinity dwells, contrary to the view that reduces flesh to a prison of the soul or a mere object of consumption and performance. The Pauline record elevates human biology to the level of liturgical space, the body is not an accessory of existence, but the very stage where redemption is manifested. The theological implication of this translation alters the understanding of sexual ethics and physical care, removing them from the realm of private morality, to insert them into the domain of the sovereignty of the eternal, establishing that the Creator’s design is not limited to the ethereal spheres of the mind, but claims the integrity of tissues, impulses and matter.

 

[amigo de christo]

I'm not really sure where to post this topic, but since I frequent this the most I chose here. I have posted before on my brain wiring...struggling with ocd, anxiety, etc and in turn making "certainty", "knowing", impossible for me( I do realize many say certainty shouldn't be looked for that's where faith comes in )I have never done any drugs or drinking etc so this perspective is not created but just simply how I'm wired. For the most part I like the meloncholy deep thinking creative analytical personality I have however it is very difficult in my walk with the Lord. I crave the assurance that so many seem to have but I just seems impossible for me to attain it. I just crave that "knowing" and "assurance " so many seem to have. I am curious if you think this is the thorn in the side that Paul talked about that will help make my testimony?

I know some of my posts seem like a broken record but that is just showing genuinely how I am I suppose. I always say I hope the Lord takes my strong "hope" as faith.

a question came to ME as i read this .
And here it is .
LIST five reasons why you believe if you were to die tonight you would be with the LORD
and or list five reasons why you think you would not .
JUST do it . THERE is a reason this question came to me TO GIVE TO YOU .

 

[amigo de christo]

I'm not really sure where to post this topic, but since I frequent this the most I chose here. I have posted before on my brain wiring...struggling with ocd, anxiety, etc and in turn making "certainty", "knowing", impossible for me( I do realize many say certainty shouldn't be looked for that's where faith comes in )I have never done any drugs or drinking etc so this perspective is not created but just simply how I'm wired. For the most part I like the meloncholy deep thinking creative analytical personality I have however it is very difficult in my walk with the Lord. I crave the assurance that so many seem to have but I just seems impossible for me to attain it. I just crave that "knowing" and "assurance " so many seem to have. I am curious if you think this is the thorn in the side that Paul talked about that will help make my testimony?

I know some of my posts seem like a broken record but that is just showing genuinely how I am I suppose. I always say I hope the Lord takes my strong "hope" as faith.

IF you were to die tonight do you BELIEVE you would be WITH GOD , with CHRIST
or do you beleive you would face damnation .
THERE is a big reason i ask this my friend .