Intrusive Thoughts
Question
I have had intrusive thoughts over the years and I have felt very guilty for them. I have become more religious lately and for a year now (of being more religious) haven’t had such thoughts. The past few days I started having bad thoughts again and I’m wondering if it is Satan causing me this. How can I stop these thoughts? Does Hashem still love me?
Answers
Yes, Hashem loves you. Not only does Hashem love you but I cannot even begin to describe to you how much He loves you!
There is very little that one can do with intrusive thoughts. They tend to pop up unbidden and the only thing that a person can do is to try and let them leave as quickly as possible. Please allow me to add: if the intrusive thoughts persist and/or get worse, it might be recommended to speak to a religious professional for some advice and techniques to try and get rid of them.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team