This is for those struggling with disfellowshipping from the Society.
We have been going to church more lately. I really enjoy the message of love compared to the doom and gloom of the Society.
I wanted to share this thought after watching a family member go through disfellowshipping and shunning. The things that the Society inflicted on this person were done with vicious intent. It could not have been God's love. It was malicious and evil. They made sure this person suffered cruely and missed a very important time in the families life. They made sure not to meet with this person or reinstate them until after their childs wedding. This ensured that the person was wounded beyond repair and missed all the happy family moments of such a momentous event. This family member was truly repentant and never should have been disfellowshipped. It was done to cut them down and remove them as a pillar in the congregation. It was used for humiliation. It was not done with God's spirit and direction. It really made me think, at the time, how unloving this arrangement is. It made me realize it was not what God wanted.
Now, I will fastforward to this past weekend. The preacher said something that really made me laugh and also think about how gracious and loving God is. How quick to forgive he is.
The preacher talked about how we might ask God to forgive us for something. And he does. He forgives us. Later, because we haven't let it go, we ask again.
Then the preacher said something that made me laugh and really think about this. He said, "When we ask God again, He says, "What are you talking about?" God has already forgiven us. He has forgotten.
The key to this tidbit is that he has forgiven us. We don't have to jump through hoops. We don't have to be "thrown outside" to learn our lesson.
From now on, instead of repetitively asking for forgiveness, we can know we have it. With the passing of Gary Coleman, I have his expression "What chu talkin' bout Willis?" on my mind. When I find myself thinking I need to ask again, I will think of God saying "What chu talkin' bout?"
Isn't that a God of love? The type of Father Christ showed him to be? It was quite the bit of fresh air and love. I enjoy worshipping God now. I'm not going to a meeting where I hear how awful I am, how I don't measure up and that God might destroy me for not going in service more. Instead I get encouragement and hear how good God is. I enjoy that. I think God enjoys that too!