The Shack

"You cannot produce trust just as you cannot "do" humility. It either is or is not. Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved. Because you do not know that I love you, you cannot trust me."

Have you read The Shack by William Paul Young? I just finished reading it last night and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It offers a deeply personal, relatable look at God.  


The above quote is from a conversation between Mackenzie, the main character, and Sarayu, the Holy Spirit. Sarayu is explaining to Mackenzie that love is the foundation of trust, and until you are assured of love you cannot trust. This is probably the single-most powerful part of the book for me. I have always felt secure in God's love for me, but a natural product of that would be trust. So why do I always struggle trusting that his plan for my life is good and perfect? Heavy stuff. 


Tonight as I was doing my devotional I ended up in Psalm 62. 

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;

my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation; 

he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God; 

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people; 

pour out your hearts to him, 

for God is our refuge."

Psalm 62:5-8

I was just so overwhelmed and convicted and completely blown away at how God used this passage to speak so directly to me. And so with a heavy heart and tired eyes I poured out my heart. And sometimes things are messy and painful and hard to understand, but God is understanding and God is faithful. The end of this chapter closes with:

"One thing that God has spoken, 

two things that I have heard:

That you, O God, are stong,

and you, O Lord, are loving."

Psalm 62: 11-12

Isn't that just so reassuring? Trusting God on this day and finding my identity, my security, my peace, and my strength in him alone.