The Shack & reflections

I've been reading The Shack for what seems like months on end. Actually, it has been that long. At first I was reading it and it was very strange to me but then I decided to just perservere and get through it. Well, now I'm at the point that I can't put it down. You know how that goes. I would assume that every one who reads this book will come away with all of their own findings, opinions etc. I find myself doing just that. It's been for me, almost like a "Bible for Dummies" sort of read. It's brought different things to light for me. Some things inside of me. I know that the book is pretty much all fictional but I believe in some parts that it couldn't be closer to the truth than if it really and truly WERE. I think the most recent passage I read in the book that really stopped me and led me to reflect was the line where God was speaking of the great tragedy that had happened to Mack. (the man the story is based on) ... God goes on to say "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…” This brings to mind how quickly, when something goes awry, we're so quick to blame God or assume that it's a test by God. When I read that line in the book, it made so much sense to me. I can't even count on two hands, how many times I've said it in the past. "Why, God?" ... or "Why am I being punished like this?" I think I've got a whole new take on that now. That's why, unlike so many other people, I don't always believe in "things happen for a reason". It disgusts me how, when a child is killed or murdered or raped, someone always says how it was bound to happen. It happened just as it was supposed to and there was a plan that God had. That's just stupid. God did not intend for all of this violence in the world and all of the hate and prejudice. All He did was gave us FREE WILL... and this is what mankind has done with it. Abused it. I'm not so quick to point a finger at God anymore; throwing my hands up in times of trouble and asking "WHY?".