Last year when I started this blog, I noticed a lot of people talking about the book The Shack. I had never heard of it before but was surprised with the controversy surrounding the book. Shortly after a friend from church shared that she really enjoyed reading it for her book club. So I went out and bought it. It’s been sitting on my shelf for months. Until my evening bible study gal pals suggested reading it for our June assignment. Last night we met and we all loved it! Here are some reasons why…
- The main character in the book Mack asks God the Father why He left His son, Jesus on the cross. Mack quotes Jesus’ words “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God the Father comforts Mack by saying He never left Jesus and asks Mack to “consider this: when all you can see is your pain, perhaps then you lose sight of me.” He also reminds Mack that the story doesn’t end with Jesus’ suffering.
- God the Father tries to correct Mack’s understanding regarding the essence of God. “You see pain and death as ultimate evils and God as the ultimate betrayer… [and] untrustworthy… The real underlying flaw in your life is that you don’t think I am good.”
- Jesus explains the power of releasing our pain to Mack by saying “The darkness hides the true size of fears and lies and regrets. The truth is they are more shadow than reality, so they seem bigger in the dark. When the light shines into the places where they live inside you, you start to see them for what they are.”
- One of my very favorite parts occurs when the Holy Spirit tells Mack “my very essence is a verb. I am more attuned to verbs than nouns. Verbs like …living, loving, responding, growing… Humans, on the other hand, have a knack for taking a verb that is alive and full of grace and turning it into a dead noun or principle that reeks of rules….” (Read more about “I Am”)
- I love how Jesus explains to Mack that God doesn’t want to be on our priority list instead God wants “to be at the center of everything. When I live in you, then together we can live through everything that happens to you.”
As any work of fiction, we have to keep in mind this book is the work of an author – not holy inspired truth! However, the book ultimately brought my relationship with God to a whole new level. And that, I believe, is the art of a successful book.
Have you read the book? What insights did you gain? If you didn’t like the book why? Did you find any controversy in the book that led you away from the truth?
Thanks again bible study gal pals!
Do you have a book that has changed the way you look at God? Is there a book that has inspired you to write? Have you read something that you couldn’t put down or just had to talk about it with someone? Come back on Tuesday 6/30/09 for What’s on Your Mind and share your thoughts!
Shane,
I finally got around to reading this book earlier this year. It was given to my Dad and he had already read it, so he passed it along to me.
I was wondering what all the hype was about…there are certainly some strong feelings out there about this story.
I do believe in the miracle of faith and whether or not THIS story is 100% true…I know in my soul that this can happen. The Lord can take you on a journey to heal your heart. I have been given the blessing of such a painful journey and AMAZING healing.
In college I felt drawn to faith for all the wrong reasons…because everyone else was into it…because it was “popular” at CURF.
When I went through a very painful breakup from an abusive relationship…I figured why would God put me through such things? I was faultless in my eyes. For a long time I stayed away from “religion” and called myself spiritual.
Finally it was my children and their lack of any knowledge about christianity that spurred me to find a church that I could relate to that brought me more than a shiny gold star for attending regularly.
I found that church and found my freedom from the pain of sin with a new relationship with God…and oh the joy!
Yet…that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been pain since then. My husband lost his job this year, I had to detangle myself from a business relationship (with a “godly man”) that caused great stress and then this spring I found out I have an aneurysm and will be having a craniotomy in July. Yet, through all of this, I feel at peace…knowing that this is part of God’s plan. I don’t understand it, but I hold on tightly to that faith.
Now that is not to say that there are NO dark times, when Satan whispers in my ear and my confidence is shaken…but nonetheless, now I know what true peace is.
This hasn’t really been all that much about the book now has it? But I did identify with the main character certainly.
D’Anne
So true for me too D’Anne. I’ve had to endure hard times to really KNOW God. I don’t claim to KNOW Him completely, but with my current relationship with Him I find peace. I wouldn’t have this peace if I wasn’t in a dark place or didn’t question my faith. So, although I do not like the pain of life I am thankful that God can use all circumstances for the greater good.
I bought this book in Manchester NH Airport en-route to Singapore, unfortunately i did not read the cover enough to realize this was a book about christianity? I generally have no patience for any religion ,I enjoy them at arms length, with the understanding that religion may be good for humanity as a whole? however i am not sure that i believe that either (considering the mayhem that all religions have wreaked over humanity) although i am sure even if their weren’t any religions, folks would have followed the same path in oppressing human beings.
So in wrapping up this rant, When any religion is able to document in bold, underlined letters, that they will “not oppress Human beings, environment” Regardless of the oppressed race, religion, national origin, etc, etc, etc. Than give me a call.
More importantly, I also felt that the cover of this book was grossly misleading. This was the real offence
Thanks
Ivan
Thanks for your reply. Your reaction is an interesting twist to my experience. I found comfort in the cover, strange enough! One thing that I heard throughout the entire book was that God does not cause oppression at all but our world does. But, again, it is a work of fiction. Some people will like it, others will not. I am happy that you replied. Thanks Ivan.
Want some hardcore ‘faith’ to discuss? Try Craig Joseph Danner’s Himalayan Dhaba–it puts The Shack to shame on the sheer writing alone.
http://www.himalayandhaba.com/interview.html
If you read it, let me know what you think. Seriously.
Thanks Eva – I just looked up our local library and they have a copy. So I’ll be picking it up. Let’s discuss! =) Tell me more about the book and why you liked it when you get a chance. Thanks again! ~Shane
I had a love/hate relationship with this book. I did love the picture of forgiveness with this book. Having to forgive his daughters horrific death is something NO one could fathom.
So true Carol – I can’t even imagine. But I did like how God helped him step by step. It wasn’t his first requirement.
“THE SHACK” sure does stir up controversy! I think it was helpful in that it encourages us to “think outside the box” when we think about God.
I liked your reminder that this is NOT holy inspired scripture.
And like you, one of the great statements in the book that made me think was, “The real underlying flaw in your life is that you don’t think I am good.” We can’t comprehend God’s goodness, or His love for us.
So, yes, I enjoyed reading “The Shack.” I even read it twice! But I don’t take it as doctrine.
Last night we talked about needing the read the book several times to pick up all the different features that you might not have caught with the first read. =)
I read the book and liked it but wasn’t in love with it. As you said, my first reminder to folks I discuss it with is that it is NOT Scripture and anything you read should be compared to Scripture . It is a work of fiction, period. That said, there were concepts I thought were beautifully written about (yes, forgiveness being one; judgment another) and some others that I am not sure I quite can agree with at the moment (further reading and thinking on my part required). But overall, a good book. I just take it for what it is and move on. Now for a book that took my relationship with God to a new level – try Francis Chan’s Crazy Love. THAT one blew me away.
Great post! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this book!
Thanks for the recommendation! I am putting that on my must read list for the summer!
Shane,
Glad you finally got to read this book. I know many people who read the book and loved it. It helped them see a side of God the hadn’t seen before or let them reconnect in a deeper way.
I read it a while back and didn’t like it for most of the reasons stated in the USA Today.
But, that’s why there are so many books out there. There’s something for everyone. What else is on your reading list?
Let me tell you what I like more than the book. I like the author. I watched a two-day interview he did with James and Betty Robison on “life today.” William Young has an extraordinary story of grace; there’s nothing unique about his story. We’ve heard it a thousand times before. But grace never grows old, and the way he communicates his transformation via the cross of Jesus Christ is compelling to say the least.
For him, the “shack” represents the place we get stuck in our faith journey. He encourages all of us to return to that place, deal with our stuff, and then move onto the freedom that is ours in Jesus Christ.
The book? Well, parts I liked. Parts I didn’t, but grace? Who of us can live without it?!
peace~elaine
I didn’t like the book. I’m visual so when I started visualizing Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit as described in the book, it disturbed me. It seemed disrespectful and I felt it did not honor God. It’s probably my backlash from 12 years of Catholic school…somethings I can’t let go.