The Shack by William Paul Young
Week 4: Chapter 4 — The Great Sadness
Read Chapter 4 of The Shack.
Previewing Week 4 of The Shack
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 20-week guide when you’re ready.
Four years have passed since Missy's death, and Mack is living a half-life — this chapter explores what unprocessed grief does to a person's soul, relationships, and faith.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Young describes the Great Sadness almost as a physical presence — a fog or a weight that settles over everything Mack does. How does this description match or differ from your own experience of deep grief or depression?
2.Mack's relationship with Nan has survived, but it is strained. How does unresolved grief affect the people around a grieving person, even those who love them most? What does Mack's distance from Nan reveal about what he is protecting himself from?
3.Mack goes through the motions of faith — attending church, using Christian language — but feels nothing. Young seems to be making a distinction between religious practice and genuine relationship with God. Where do you see that distinction played out in your own experience or community?