I re-read The Shack earlier this year, & it’s soo good! This book has been quite controversial, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing per se. For those who have never heard of it, it’s a fiction book that tackles the very common question: why does God allow suffering? The main character Mack is struggling with the loss of his young daughter, who was brutally murdered. He has some very unusual encounters with God, which turn his world upside down. I highly recommend you read the book for yourself, preferably before reading this, in case I give too many spoilers away :P. It’s a very well written, enjoyable read, so you shouldn’t get bored! There are lots of gems of wisdom found in this book, & so I’ve decided to summarise some of these in this blog entry.
This book has been controversial partly because a lot of people have issues with some of the theology contained in it. My opinion is that yes there are a few things that I’m not sure I agree with, but there is so much good stuff in there too. I don’t think the author would claim that everything he wrote is completely right; it’s fiction after all. Admittedly the way it’s told makes it appear as though it’s based on a true experience, but it is actually all fictional. So I would suggest reading it with an open mind & taking it with a pinch of salt (which I’d suggest for any book really). Some people take offense at its representation of God, but surely it’s not possible to fully represent God in a way that does Him justice! I think this book has a really good bash at representing the God I know & love, & though it may not be completely accurate, I think it’s effective at helping people connect with the real God. This is a book that covers a lot of ground, challenges our preconceptions & really makes us think.
One of the central themes of The Shack is the nature of God. It gives a good explanation for the Trinity (one God yet 3 persons- Father God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit), which is a concept of our faith that many people find hard to understand. Basically the reason for God to be 3 persons is so that love & relationship would be possible- unless God had someone to love, He would not be capable of love. The bible said that ‘God is love’, so for that to be true, He needed someone to love from the very beginning. The love between the 3 members of the Trinity is very much evident in this book; they are so close to each other that they are one. Their love for every human They created is also just as strong, & They created us to also share this kind of relationship with Them & with one another. But mankind has strayed so far from what God created us for.
The book explains that when Jesus became human, He embraced all our limitations. He was like a bird who could fly but chose to remain grounded. He never drew from His nature as God to do anything, even miracles, but relied on His Father’s power to work through Him as He stayed connected to Him. By doing this, He showed us how we can also live in God’s supernatural strength & power. The book goes on to say that ‘humans are not defined by their limitations, but by the intentions that (He has) for them; not by what they seem to be, but by everything it means to be created in (His) image’.
The question of why a loving God allows suffering doesn’t have an easy or simple answer, & attempting to find one usually doesn’t bring much comfort to those who are hurting. I think the book deals with this question very well; it not only gives some ‘answers’, but also shows some ways in which God brings healing to the hurting. Basically, the book explains that God doesn’t stop evil because that would take away our independence. This would destroy the possibility of love, as ‘love that is forced is not love at all’. He thinks we are ‘wonderful beyond imagination’ & that ‘just because (we) make horrendous & destructive choices does not mean (we) deserve less respect for what (we) inherently are- the pinnacle of (His) Creation & the centre of (His) affection’. However, God has the ability to turn all circumstances around for our good, & it’s often through times of suffering that we learn to connect with God. But that doesn’t mean He causes the suffering, or that it was His will for us to suffer. In the book God says this: ‘Just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn’t mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don’t ever assume that My using something means I caused it or that I need it to accomplish my purposes. That will only lead you to false notions about Me. Grace doesn’t depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets & colours’.
The main focus of The Shack is God’s love, & the power it has to change a life. God is ‘especially fond’ of everyone, in a similar way that a parent can love each of his/her children equally. Our ‘uniqueness & special personhood calls out a unique response’ from God, which means that we’re all God’s favourites! Some people think that all roads lead to God, but the book explains that ‘most roads don’t lead to anywhere’ but God ‘will travel any road to find you’. In my experience that is very true; God meets with us where we’re at, & connects with us in ways that are unique to us. At first Mack couldn’t receive God’s love, as he had a lot of anger towards Him. But God just kept on loving him & persistently tried to get that through to him. As it said in the book, ‘you have to take the time to prepare the soil if you want it to embrace the seed’. Eventually Mack decided to let go of his judgement of God, & choose to trust Him. This is the turning point that allowed God to do a deep work of healing in his life, which the book describes beautifully. The book gives the analogy of someone drowning to explain that it’s very hard for God to rescue you if you don’t trust Him. All God wants us to do is to trust Him & seek to grow in love, & He’ll do the work of healing & transforming our hearts. The book describes our hearts as a garden that is a beautiful mess. This garden is a fractal from above, which means it is a pattern that seems simple but is extremely complex, as the pattern is repeated at every magnification. This is a good metaphor for our hearts; we may feel that we’re a mess & our life is chaos, but God sees its beauty & complexity, & loves it.
It seems the author is passionate about inspiring people to live out of love, as I am :). He explains that the only way we can find true freedom is inside a relationship with Jesus, who is the Truth that sets us free. In this relationship, we need to trust Him & obey Him in order to become truly free. Following God isn’t about following rules, but it’s about laying down our independence & letting Jesus live His life through us. God doesn’t just want to be our priority; He wants to be at the very centre of our lives, with everything else connected & moving with the Spirit. He explains that the commandments in the bible are a mirror to show us how dirty we get from living independently. Because Jesus fulfilled the law for us, this law that was once demanding the impossible is now a promise He fulfils in us as we live out of His love. But now if we try to live by a set of rules, we are declaring independence from God & trying to be in control of our lives, & this can make us feel superior to others. Therefore living by rules is not the way of love & so is not what pleases God.
The author is clearly opposed to institutions, hierarchies & any way in which people try to control others. He believes humans created hierarchy, not God, & that this destroys relationships by imposing laws. He argues that if we truly regarded others as ourselves,we wouldn’t need hierarchy. He views the institutions of religion, politics & economics as man-made ways to control & to gain security, which cannot bring true security as that comes from God alone. He explains that love does not control but submits, & ‘submission is not about authority & it is not obedience; it is all about relationships of love & respect’. He goes on to say that people often put responsibilities & expectations on their loved ones, but this turns a relationship into ‘a dead thing with rules & requirements’. God doesn’t give us responsibility, but instead gives us the ability to respond in love & service. & He has an expectancy for us, not expectations. This quote gives a beautiful description of the expectancy He has for us:
“Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out & touch a heart or a life, the world changes; with every kindness & service, seen or unseen, My purposes are accomplished & nothing will ever be the same again.”
In Pursuit of Love 