And who can’t use these in the midst of life’s trials and tragedies? This movie offers love, forgiveness and hope. I highly recommend The Shack for anyone who’s ever experienced pain and suffering and asked difficult questions about life. God explains that He is always with us and can bring “incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies.” God does not cause it, but God allows tragedy to happen. And He answers Mack’s troubling questions, but not how he expects.īecause of sin and mankind’s choices, evil in the world happens. We can choose to forgive even those who’ve forced unthinkable pain upon us. He offers forgiveness and shows us how to forgive others. He often says, “I’m especially fond of you.” God’s love is never ending and unconditional. Interestingly enough, many non-believers seem to hear the movie’s messages loud and clear. Many Christians get stuck at this point because God is portrayed as a black woman. Papa is Nan’s name for God.Īt the shack, Mack meets the triune God: Papa who is God, Jesus, and Sarayu, the Holy Spirit. That’s when Mack receives an unmarked letter in his mailbox from “Papa” to join Him at the shack. Why God? Why did my Missy have to die? He asks questions that seemingly won’t be answered. By winter time Mack is suicidal and challenging his faith in God. This event triggers Mack’s decline into depression. Upon finding Missy’s bloody clothes in the shack, it is assumed Missy has been tragically killed.

Not long into the movie, we discover other girls just like Missy have been murdered. After learning she’s not with friends, forest rangers and police start searching for her. When Mack, Kate and Josh return from this near tragedy, they can’t find Missy. A predator uses this opportunity to kidnap Missy. It seems that everyone camping nearby is watching the incident. Mack is beyond relieved when he resuscitates his son.

When Mack hears a scream and sees the canoe capsized, he runs to rescue his son from underneath the canoe. Kate and Josh canoe on the lake while Missy colors at a campsite table. Mack and his three kids arrive at a beautiful lake and set up camp. He’s begging God for answers to life circumstances he can’t comprehend nor believe.ĭuring a camping trip with his three children, Kate, Josh and Missy, Mack experiences a crisis with one child that leads to a tragedy with another child while his wife, Nan, remains at home. This is the situation in which we find Mack Phillips, husband and father of three, in the recent movie, The Shack. During these times both believers and non-believers question, if God is real, why does He cause bad things to happen to good people? If God is so powerful, why doesn’t He stop it from happening? If God loves me, he wouldn’t have taken my child away. Many beg God for answers during extremely difficult circumstances, like heartbreak and catastrophes. Even people, who don’t believe in God, often blame Him when they experience tragedy and loss.

The shack book