I didn't choose my personal unexpected God-ride like I chose to put my life at the mercy of a roller coaster, but I’ve come to love it with all my scarred, ripped-apart, sewn-back-together, stronger heart.
I like to think that maybe if we see our “unexpected” life experiences in the same light as the experience of a roller coaster, and perhaps even think of them as “God-rides”, that the suffering wouldn't be as painful and our heart could open to receive the unexpected gifts within the unexpected “God-ride”.
Unexpected does not mean something went wrong, or that life or God is against you. Yes, it can cause pain, and it may have even been caused by evil intents. But ultimately, it’s an opportunity to thrive no matter what.
I think it very timely to ponder this subject in relation to the recently released movie “The Shack”. I have noticed a lot of strong opinions from all types of folks - even those who have neither read the book or seen the movie. I find it to be particularly relevant when considering how our personal perceptions of “God” impact our lives.
Our beliefs about God, spirituality and religion often begin forming from a very young depending on the influence from our family of origin. They continue to grow throughout our life, very much affecting every area of our life. Our beliefs become a part of our decision-making process, our mind chatter, they can influence how we react to circumstances and fear, shape the dynamics in our relationships, form what we believe about ourselves and judgements we make of others, and are the basis for what we prioritize. Probably most impactful, is the lens through which we view the world as friendly or hostile.
I found it interesting that those who were adamant against the movie seem to identify as those who say they love God and consider themselves more moral than most.
Interestingly, it appears that in addition, most of those with that opinion were making it about something they had neither read or actually watched. Much of the negativity directed toward the movie was based on people being unable to tolerate “God” being played as a woman, when at the same time they would