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Originally Posted by aron
I agree. Amen. It is food for us. We went through what we went through for a purpose, for God's purpose. God's hand was there, and His hand is still here, guiding us forward. I don't reject the past. Nor do I cling to it. I move on; it is "food" for me. There are lessons there for me, deep lessons if I would be still a moment and hear the voice of the Master. Then the balm that heals my wounds becomes a salve also to others. The nourishing food that restores flesh onto my dry bones passes into my speaking, reaching others, and also supplying them. God put me through what He did for a reason.
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Amen, dear brothers. I agree as well. Our God is our loving heavenly Father and He put us through what He did for a reason. He surely knows what is best for all His children. One of the the worst possible outcomes of our time in the LC would be to have suffered all that we have been through, only to remain full of bitterness and anger for the rest of our lives. There very well may be an initial period of bitterness and anger, and that is most likely a very healthy reaction for a time; but, how desperately we need God to be merciful and shepherd us through this period of time. May we remain close to Him and allow His loving, tender heart and His gentle healing touch to bring us through to the other side. May we "complete our tale", as SC says. May God save us from "getting stuck" in a negative place. O Lord, dear Lord. Do have mercy on us all. Amen.
On the other forum, dear brother Steve I. posted a letter from someone who had suffered greatly at the hands of the leading ones in the LC and who has passed through to the other side to find real inner peace and to find mercy and grace to forgive WL and the brother around him. This excerpt touches me very much and has been known to bring a tear to my eye:
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"Brother Steve, if you have any questions, I shall be most happy to reply. If you sense anything out of balance or unethical, please advise me. I believe the Lord has given me much mercy and grace to forgive WL and the brothers around him, even to the point of enjoying real inner peace. Yet I went through much suffering and agony for several years. As I mentioned to you over the phone, I was in a mourning that lasted several years. However, one time I read something that encouraged me: 'It takes a diamond to cut a diamond, and the dust of diamonds to polish a diamond.' So it takes brothers, even the failures of the Lord's best servants, to deal and transform brothers. We will all one day worship and praise God for all of the ways He uses to conform us to the image of Christ. May the Lord richly bless you as you come to Him, take His yoke, and learn of Him (Matt. 11:28-30)."
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