I really enjoy using semi-random words to describe semi-normal things.
“How was your day?” Just ducky.
“How was supper?” Legit.
“How was your weekend?” Fantastical! (Which is a real word, BTW.)
But sometimes, fancy words get the best of me.
So in order to win this wordy battle, I want to use them more. Work them down, learn them into submission.
A formerly confusing word that recently came to mind in my Jesus walk was “paradox.” Before I move forward any further, I should define “paradox.” Because if you are anything like me, that is a fancy word I often confuse with other fancy words… (Like paradigm. Don’t judge. I was an animal science major in college. Then Christian Leadership. But never English/grammar.)
Anywho, a “paradox” is something that often doesn’t make a whole lot of sense or is self-contradictory.
Enter: Being a Christian.
I was pondering this the other day, and the number (and power) of paradoxes in our walk really surprised me.
Being a Christian involves…
Dying (to self) to live (in Him.)
Bondage and freedom.
Heavy burdens and light hearts.
Difficulty and ease.
Deep despair and high hope.
Sorrow and Joy.
Valleys and Mountaintops.
Becoming poor to experience wealth.
Tears and laughter.
Confusion and clarity.
Struggle and comfort.
Pressure and peace.
Weakness and power.
Work and rest.
Incredible challenge but inexplicable reward.
Living the Now for The Tomorrow.
Is there any wonder why Satan messes with our hearts and minds so much as attempt to walk with the Lord? He capitalized on the tensions of a Christian life and actually turns these Christ-driven paradoxes into a Fleshy Paradigm shift.
Sometimes its downright frustrating.
But here’s the good news (there’s always Good News when Jesus is involved!) Our Christian Paradox has great purpose… because God is behind it.
The hard stuff, the burdens, the despair that we experience often has to come before the second part of our paradox… Because our hearts have sinned, are stubborn and pretty dang selfish. (Ask me how I know…)
If we didn’t have the first part of our walk in the junk, we wouldn’t need the second part in Jesus.
So if our junk leads us to Jesus, then I say it’s quite the purposeful paradox. (Say that five times fast.)
Dear readers: What part of your walk do you feel is a walking contradiction? Where do you see paradoxical faith in your life? How do you respond? Don’t be shy. Join in the conversation and leave a comment.
Please, friend… Don’t be confused or discouraged by the paradoxes that present themselves in your walk. Remember that Jesus, the perfect, spotless Lamb of God died for our sins– He paid the price for us.
And that’s a Christian Paradox worth living for.
Fulfilled in Him,
“For we naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite from the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do; and the good things we want to do when the Spirit has his way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures.” ~Galatians 5:17 TLB
