The God Filter

 

8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55: 8 - 9 NKJV 

I came across a Wayne Jacobsen post this week where he continued to discuss the reaction from recent film The Shack.  As much as this Paul Young story has been a target for criticism from those who seem to be set in their ways about their religious views, I found it to open up discussions not only about the film itself, but about God.  It's wonderful how our heavenly Father orchestrates things at times.  Far from a attack on religion, I saw this movie as opening hearts of Gods children and ultimately bringing more than a few of them home to Him.  Dennis has often ribbed me for not reading the original Shack book, which is fine.  Given the choice I'd rather watch film than read a book most of the time.  The truth is, this story has stayed pretty close to the book version of the story from what I've been told.  So, what did I miss from not reading the book?  One of our good friends was led to the Lord from reading this story, which is fantastic.  Now, not having read the book, I did not go into the movie with any pre concieved notions of how good or bad the story was.  Sure, I'd heard the praises and criticisms, but that didn't influence my opinion all too much.  It is the pre conceptions that many people had before the movie was even released that is interesting.  Why were they upset over Paul Youngs story?  Was it his depiction of God as a african american woman?  Was it the fact that God would allow such tragedy in the life of one of His children and then attempt to draw him closer to Him?  Whatever view we may have had of this story, we may have inadvertently viewed it through that belief of how we ourselves feel that God should be, act or behave.  For we ourselves often feel that God should always heal the sick, bring justice to those oppressed and refrain from exposing His own children to tragedy.  Despite the assurances that we would surely endure such things {2 Timothy 3: 1 - 17}.  So it is that despite our Lords advice that we will surely endure hardships as we follow Him, we come to the table expecting God to do things the right way, the just way.  

"Just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn't mean that I orchestrate the tragedies.  Don't ever assume that my using something means that 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 and colors."

~William Paul Young, The Shack~ 

After my mother passed away I struggled with just why God would allow such a God fearing woman to suffer so much.  Indeed, I questioned His motives.  Why would He cause such pain and grief?  Didn't God love His children?  Didn't He love me?  Turns out I was looking at this from the wrong angle.  I call it our God filter.  In spite of my mothers pain and suffering, I pleaded with God to heal her for me, for my comfort and for my emotional health.  This was not about my moms well being but about me only.  So goes the God filter.  We see God as a white haired, bearded old timer who sits on a throne.  The very fact that someone would have the audacity to challange our own God filter could only mean that person was a heretic!  We scratch our heads and wonder just how God could allow tragedies upon the children He supposedly loves so dearly.  When tragedy comes we question His love and compassion.  The God filter.  We are told in Isaiah 55 that the ways of our Heavenly Father are far above our own, yet we continue to view Him through our own actions and experiences.  If we feel that someone deserves mercy, then God should do just that.  If we feel someone needs punishment, then God should act in that manner.  The truth is, this is never how God operates.  The woman Jesus encountered at the well deserved punishment according to the law, yet Jesus showed her love and compassion.  The woman caught in adultry had every right to be stoned according to the religious laws of the day, yet Jesus did not condemn her.  What of the thief hanging on the cross next to Jesus?  The one He welcomed into the paradise supposedly set aside for believers?  One of the memorable lines from The Shack was that "where there is suffering you will find grace."  Remember that it was man who condemned those whom Jesus lifted up, not God.  Surely they deserved punishment as decided by man, yet God showed them mercy.  It's funny how we celebrate these scriptural examples of Gods grace yet question His motives when he chooses to do the same today.  Our God filter at work.  It is easy to see that Christ came not to condemn but to reconcile Gods children to Him {John 3: 16 - 17}.  Does our heavely Father allow for tragedy to take place?  Absolutely!  Does Gods allowing such tragedy mean that He has suddenly  changed?  Not in the least.  As the story of The Shack shows us, God can often work incredible love, grace and mercy through even the most unspeakable tragedies.  For there is a huge difference between using a tragedy for good and causing that tragedy to happen.  It's just that our God filter often may not see things that way.  

~Scott~