A Nugget of Wisdom, Courtesy of The Shack
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If you’re someone who’s heart holds a lifetime’s worth of frustrations and regrets (and who’s doesn’t?) then you owe it to yourself to check out The Shack by William P. Young.
I won’t give you a review of the book or delve too deeply into its subject matter, because a brief Googling will give you whatever basics you desire to know.
However, I was impacted by this paragraph, part of a conversation between two of the main characters:
Here is something that will sort this out in your mind, Mackenzie. Paradigms power perception and perceptions powers emotions. Most emotions are responses to perception — what you think is true about a given situation. If your perception is false, then your emotional response to it will be false too. So check your perceptions, and beyond that, check the truthfulness of your paradigms — what you believe. Just because you believe something firmly doesn’t make it true. Be willing to reexamine what you believe. The more you live in the the truth, the more your emotions will help you see clearly.
I’ve found this to be true. My emotions are generally tied to my perceptions about my life. The times when I’m most angry or upset or feeling hopeless is when I feel like I’ve been screwed over, or when certain aspects of my life are hopeless, beyond the scope of anyone’s intervention, much less divine intervention. But when I step back with eyes of faith and understanding, I can see clearly that those perceptions are not the truth.
Some folks have taken offense to parts of this book, especially the parts that challenge their assumptions about life, and about God. But there is definitely wisdom to be found, and I’m finding myself taken aback after reading this. So much of my life’s story is contained in this book.
And, I would venture to guess, if you read the book and allow yourself to be emotionally honest throughout the process, you’ll find your life in it as well. ]]>