Sometimes authors use their life experiences and settings for a source of inspiration. Prior to writing the Shack which was first published in 2007, William P. Young was an office manager and hotel night clerk. These unusual hours provided an opportunity for William to pour out his heart and soul into writing. Young’s resolve was rewarded with a book and a 2017 movie with the same name. One of my favorite lines in this film occurs during a conversation between Sam Worthington and Octavia Spencer. A troubled father has an encounter with God when the Lord reveals, “Mack this is where you first got stuck.”
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken, Psalm 34:17-20.
To avoid a spoiler alert, I’ll let everyone who hasn’t seen the Shack to watch for yourself. In the meantime, this sound byte reveals an important truth about life, at some point everyone get’s stuck. Like a difficult math equation, it may take an extended period of time to solve this problem. How you respond to this roadblock will impact your personal growth. Those who give up, quit or walk away without discovering the answer will leave empty. Anyone who persists, searches and receives the wisdom to obtain the correct answer will be able to move on, to live and learn.
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you, 1 Peter 5:7.
In 1988, Christian Icon Michael W. Smith released i 2 Eye. One of the hit songs from this album is Live and Learn. The lyrics refers to where human beings first got stuck, tempted by forbidden fruit. Prior to this day, there was no sin, suffering or pain. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve’s willful act of disobedience has planted seeds of darkness into human hearts ever since. Thus, Michael W. Smith writes about the sowing principle, sowing fields of stubbornness in his life. Depending upon your current life, you may be your own worst enemy, self destructing on your own. Others may still be stuck from a tragic event from your past, unable to let go of the pain. Whatever your situation, perhaps its time to find a shack, retreat and spend time with God alone so that you can grow and mature from the place where you first got stuck.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 