The mystery of human freedom

1. “’Does freedom mean that you are allowed to do whatever you want to do? Or we could talk about the limiting influences in your life that actively work against your freedom. Your family genetic heritage, your specific DNA, your metabolic uniqueness, the quantum stuff that is going on at a subatomic level where only I am the always present observer. Or the intrusion of your soul’s sickness that inhibits and binds you, or the social influences around you, or the habits that have created synaptic bonds and pathways in your brain. And then there’s advertising, propaganda, and paradigms. Inside that confluence of multifaceted inhibitors,’ she sighed, ‘what is freedom really?’”
“’…Freedom is an incremental process. …the Truth shall set you free and the Truth has a name; he’s (Jesus) over in the woodshop right now covered in sawdust. Everything is about him. And freedom is a process that happens inside a relationship with him. Then all that stuff you feel churnin’ around inside will start to work its way out.” (pg. 95)

Q. The concept of human freedom is extremely important to us. But, when you consider all of the ‘confluence of multifaceted inhibitors’ that influence are choices, in your opinion are we really free? (See 2 Peter 2:18-20)

Q. In John 8:32 Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” How does the truth of Jesus’ words deliver us from the deceptions in our own souls and the ones being fed to us by the world around us?

Q. Have you experienced this process of truth ‘churnin around inside’ until the deception works its way out of your life? If so, are you willing to share your story with others in the group?
2. “’We carefully respect your choices, so we work within you systems even while we seek to free you from them,’ Papa continued. “Creation has been taken down a very different path than we desired. In your world the value of the individual is constantly weighed against the survival of the system, whether political, economic, social, or religious – any system actually. First one person, and then a few, and finally even many are sacrificed for the good and ongoing existence of that system. In one form or another this lies behind every struggle for power, every prejudice, every war, and every abuse of relationship. The ‘will to power and independence’ has become so ubiquitous that it is now considered normal.’
‘It’s not?’
‘It is the human paradigm,’ added Papa. ‘…It is like water to fish, so prevalent that it goes unseen and unquestioned. It is the matrix; a diabolical scheme in which you are hopelessly trapped even while completely unaware of its existence.’
Jesus picked up the conversation. ‘As the crowning glory of Creation, you were made in our image, unencumbered by structure and free to simply ‘be’ in relationship with me and one another. If you had truly learned to regard each other’s concerns as significant as your own, there would be no need for hierarchy.’ (pg. 123-124)

Q. Can you think of examples of the value of the individual being sacrificed for the good (or survival) of a larger system?

Q. Can this happen even in religious systems – like churches? If so, how?
Q. In Philippians 2, the Apostle Paul tells us to imitate the attitude of Jesus. How would it change our relationships if everyone actually did this?
3. “’I can see now,’ confessed Mack, ‘that I spend most of my time and energy trying to acquire what I have determined to be good, whether it’s financial security or health or retirement or whatever. And I spend a huge amount of energy and worry fearing what I’ve determined to be evil,’ Mack sighed deeply.’
‘Such truth in that,’ said Sarayu gently. ‘Remember this. It allows you to play God in your independence. That’s why a part of you prefers to not see me. And you don’t need me at all to create your list of good and evil. But you do need me if you have any desire to stop such an insane lust for independence.’
‘So there is a way to fix it?’ asked Mack.
‘You must give up your right to decide what is good and evil on your own terms. That is a hard pill to swallow; choosing to only live in me. To do that you must know me enough to trust me and learn to rest in my inherent goodness.’
‘Mackenzie, evil is a word we use to describe the absence of Good, just as we use the word darkness to describe the absence of Light or death to describe the absence of Life. Both evil and darkness can only be understood in relations to Light and Good; they do not have an actual existence. I am Light and I am Good. I am Love and there is no darkness in me. Light and Good actually exist. So, removing yourself from me will plunge you into darkness. Declaring your independence will result in evil because apart from me, you can only draw upon yourself. That is death because you have separated yourself from me: Life.’
‘Wow,’ Mack exclaimed, …’That really helps. But, I can also see that giving up my independent right is not going to be an easy process. It could mean that…’
Sarayu interrupted, “…that in one instance, the good may be the presence of cancer or the loss of income – or even life.’ (pg.135-136)

Q. How has an ‘insane lust for independence’ ever gotten you in trouble, or caused you to lose a valuable relationship? If so, explain.
Q. Why is it hard – almost impossible – for us to ‘give up our right to decide what is good and evil on our own terms?’ How can we do it? (See Romans 8:5-11)

Q. The Apostle John wrote, “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5-7) How have you experienced the difference between this light and darkness?
4. “’Have you ever noticed that even though you call me Lord and King, I have never really acted in that capacity with you? I’ve never taken control of your choices or forced you to do anything, even when what you were about to do was destructive or hurtful to yourself and others’
‘Mack looked back at the lake before responding. ‘I would have preferred that you did take control at times. It would have saved me and the people I care about a lot of pain.’
‘To force my will on you,’ Jesus replied, ‘is exactly what love does not do. Genuine relationships are marked by submission even when your choices are not helpful or healthy. That’s the beauty you see in my relationship with Abba and Sarayu. We are indeed submitted to one another and have always been so and always will be. Papa is as much submitted to me as I to him, or Sarayu to me, or Papa to her. Submission is not about authority and it is not obedience; it is all about relationships of love and respect. In fact, we are submitted to you in the same way.’
Mack was surprised. ‘How can that be? Why would the God of the universe want to be submitted to me?’
‘Because we want you to join us in our circle of relationship. I don’t want slaves to my will; I want brothers and sisters who will share life with me.’
‘And that’s how you want us to love each other, I suppose? I mean between husbands and wives, parents and children, I guess any relationship?’
‘Exactly! When I am your life, submission is the most natural expression of my character and nature, and it will be the most natural expression of your new nature within relationships.’

Q. What does the statement, ‘Love does not force its will on others’ mean to you? Don’t we sometimes force our will on our children, removing them from playing in the road, for example, out of love?

Q. In your opinion, would it be more loving if God forcefully kept people from going to hell or let them have the freedom of choice knowing it could lead to their eternal destruction?

Q. In what way is God ‘submitted to me?’ (See Philippians 2:7, Matthew 20:28)

Q. Can you envision submitting yourself completely to God so that you can enter a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with him? Why or why not?
5. “’All evil flows from independence, and independence is your choice. If I were to simply revoke all the choices of independence, the world as you know it would cease to exist and love would have no meaning. This world is not a playground where I keep all of my children free from evil. Evil is the chaos of this age that you brought to me, but it will not have the final say. Now it touches everyone that I love, those who follow me and those who don’t. If I take away the consequences of people’s choices, I destroy the possibility of love. Love that is forced is no love at all.’
Mack rubbed his hands through his hair and sighed. ‘It’s just so hard to understand.’
‘Honey, let me tell you one of the reasons that it makes no sense to you. It’s because you have such a small view of what it means to be human. You and this Creation are incredible, whether you understand that or not. You are wonderful beyond imagination. Just because you make horrendous and destructive choices does not mean you deserve less respect for what you inherently are – the pinnacle of my Creation and the center of my affection.’ (pg. 190)

Q. Papa says, ‘If I take away the consequences of people’s choices, I destroy the possibility of love.’ Do you agree that this is true? Why or why not?

Q. Think back over your life. Have their been times when you ‘reaped the consequences’ of bad choices? What affect did it have on your relationship with God?

Q. When you think of yourself as the pinnacle of God’s creation and the center of his affection, what difference does that make in how you view your life? (See Luke 12:7))
6. “’There is no way to create freedom without a cost, as you know.’ Papa looked down, scars visible and indelibly written into his wrists. ‘I knew that my Creation would rebel, would choose independence and death, and I knew what it would cost me to open a path of reconciliation. Your independence has unleashed, what seems to you, a world of chaos; random and frightening. Could I have prevented what happened to Missy? The answer is yes.’
Mack looked at Papa, his eyes asking the question that didn’t need voicing.
Papa continued, ‘First by not creating at all, these questions would be moot. Or secondly, I could have chosen to actively interfere in her circumstance. The first was never a consideration and the latter was not an option for purposes that you cannot possibly understand now. At this point all I have to offer you as an answer is my love and goodness, and my relationship with you. I did not purpose Missy’s death, but that doesn’t mean I can’t use it for good.’
Mack shook his head sadly. ‘You’re right. I don’t grasp it very well. I think I see a glimpse for a second and then all the longing and loss that I feel seems to rise up and tell me that what I thought I saw just couldn’t be true. But I do trust you…’ And suddenly, it was like a new thought, surprising and wonderful. ‘Papa, I do trust you.’
Papa beamed back at him. ‘I know, son. I know.’” (pg. 222)

Q. Papa says, ‘There is no way to create freedom without a cost.’ As you think about the freedoms you enjoy as a citizen of a free country and as a child of God, who paid the cost for your freedoms? Why did they do it?

Q. Could God have prevented the painful circumstances in your life? If so, based on this section of The Shack, why do you think he didn’t?

Q. Are you able to still love and trust in God despite the painful loss you have endured? Why or why not? (Consider the Biblical of Job)

Q. The Apostle Paul wrote, “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28) Can you see any good that has resulted from the tragic events of your life?