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AnnaDango

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I don’t know where else to put this question. Some background: I have OCD and other anxiety disorders; I’m not engaged or anything. Also, yes, I realize this is a really weird question but I can’t stop thinking about it for some reason.
I’ve been struggling with a really bad sin for a long time now. Today this thought randomly popped in my head: What if I vow to never get married in order to repent for my sins? And I thought maybe God was trying to tell me something. The thing is, I’ve always wanted to get married and have a family, so I really don’t want to do vow not to get married. I don’t even think that’s neccessary to repent. But the thought hasn’t left me. I’ve prayed about it all evening, and all I’ve got is a headache, no answers. So what do you all think? Is this just my OCD making somehing out of nothing, or is God trying to tell me that I should never get married?
(i’m not engaged or anything, the marriage would be far in the future once I have a boyfrirnd. Just to clear that up. And yes I know I’m too young to be worrying about marriage, but please just answer my question.)
 
I’m pretty sure the Church advises against taking on extraordiary penances without first consulting a spiritual director and I think that would include taking a vow of celibacy.
 
You should discuss this with your priest, and possibly a healthcare professional that understands and respects the faith of a practicing Catholic. But definitely your priest. He can best advise you in this matter. 🙂

Peace be with you.
 
Well … if you have OCD, Anxiety Disorders, or any other one of a Multitude of Disorders,
then your on the right Planet… if you had no disorders of any kind, then you must be from some other place… …
Most of us do things wrong in our Lives, things we are ashamed of…
I’v Done a Couple myself… I Bet you Your’s are no worse than mine…
And yes I did the right thing and went to Confession,but didn’t help…
because the number one obstacle to my Feeling was That, even though I was Assured I was Forgiven… I Couldn’t Forgive Myself for the things I did… and Thats a big thing…
Forgiving Yourself… think about it… ask yourself, why you cant forgive yourself…
because once you Figure that out, then you wont be so hard on yourself…
Because of your feelings of Guilt , you want to sacrifice your life of happiness…
you want to be like a martyr … your mind is coming up with methods of Appropriate Punishment.
I’m not sure that is what God might want of you… Maybe he wants you to Work out why you did what you did… What made you do it… Did anyone Force you with something
to do wrong… or was it something else ?
I am interested to know how you think… and if what you did is so bad then, be Brave and tell me what you did… couldn’t Possibly be worse than what I did…
unless it was Murder , because I never did that…
 
Depending on the nature of the sins you are struggling with, marriage might actually be the eventual solution…
 
Even St Paul was forgiven and he was a murderer of Christians who changed his ways and became one of the greatest evangelizers of our faith. Read about him in the scriptures for some insight in this. Maybe his penance was all of his evangelical work he did to build up the church by proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ.

Priests give penance when he absolves you of your sins. Please allow yourself to get beyond your sins because Jesus wants you to be freed of them and feel better…🙂 I often think of the time when I am absolved of my sins at Confession as feeling a 'poof" and I’m freed of my burden of sin.
 
Of course God will forgive up. That is the reason Jesus came into our presence.
A priest once told me:

You are like a sinner that has his finger in a hole of the dike, and on the other side is all of the Grace that we are given. Please take your finger out and accept the forgiveness.

We will all pray for you and love you.🙂
 
I think it is really good that you paused before taking this vow. You seem to have realized that your thinking is sometimes incorrect, and not to be relied on for making decisions–that’s great 😃

And I agree with the advice of so many to discuss your situation with a good priest. I think that would help you a lot. Call and make an appointment.
 
AnnaDango said:
I don’t know where else to put this question. Some background: I have OCD and other anxiety disorders; I’m not engaged or anything. Also, yes, I realize this is a really weird question but I can’t stop thinking about it for some reason.
I’ve been struggling with a really bad sin for a long time now. Today this thought randomly popped in my head: What if I vow to never get married in order to repent for my sins? And I thought maybe God was trying to tell me something. The thing is, I’ve always wanted to get married and have a family, so I really don’t want to do vow not to get married. I don’t even think that’s neccessary to repent. But the thought hasn’t left me. I’ve prayed about it all evening, and all I’ve got is a headache, no answers. So what do you all think? Is this just my OCD making somehing out of nothing, or is God trying to tell me that I should never get married?
(i’m not engaged or anything, the marriage would be far in the future once I have a boyfrirnd. Just to clear that up. And yes I know I’m too young to be worrying about marriage, but please just answer my question.)
Click to expand...
Take it one day at a time and leave the rest in Jesus’ or Mary’s hands.
It sounds as tho you are your own worst enemy by pressing yourself against a hard place.
Nothing is done in one day, and if it is, it usually turns out to be a mess.
Relax and pray calmly with the understanding that God is Love and not a auto salesman.
Mary is you mother, just put yourself in her hands and rest. She’ll help you.
Jesus would so much appreciate your confidence in him.
Take a deep breath and sit back and let them do the worrying.
Some day you will look back at this and just smile.

Now as far as your feelings leading you down the path, it pays to be attentive to what the mind knows objectively. How many mistakes have been made by behavior based on emotion. So just relax, place emotion aside, ignore it, and do what you know is the right and good thing. And right now it sounds like you need some time to consider all sides as well as giving yourself to Jesus in prayer. He wants you to confide in him and rest there. For I feel sure he does not want you to make any hasty decisions.

May God bless and keep you. May God’s face shine on you. May God be kind to you and give you peace.
 
Seeing as its up to you, any answer given will really just be speculation. I don’t think God wants you to give up marriage. If I’m wrong, he will certainly help you understand what the right thing to do is. Most often God does not demand things like that to make up for what you’ve done, it has to be your decision.
You also should try and take a step back and remember that he will always love you no matter what you do, nothing can separate God’s love from you. The best thing you could do is humble yourself before Him and ask for forgiveness in confession. We are all sinners, and we will all makes mistakes. But he is patient, and is always willing to give us graces to help us correct ourselves. Not to mention offering up something like that might not work out, for instance, if you continue doing that bad sin even after you give up marriage.
I just don’t think giving up marriage is the right solution here. Keep praying, meditate on the issue, and give it some time 👍
 
**James **

English Standard Version (ESV)

Patience in Suffering

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers,[a] until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

Matthew 5:33-37

English Standard Version (ESV)
Oaths

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.[a]
 
Marriage generally helps people over come sin, due to the close emotional and physical support of a spouse. I can’t imagine a scenario, barring the most grievous of sins, that would warrant refraining from marriage as a life long penance.
 
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