Paradox

Yeah, my first blog. Ownership of the "W". haha... Though I've considered having a blog for a longtime now, It's been just recently that I decided to actually make one. As I think about it, my only desired outcome of this blog is that, through sharing what God's doing in my life, I am able to bring glory to God to the best that my brokenness will allow. Hopefully to some extent, both you and I will be drawn closer to him in the process. We'll see how this goes. : )

Here recently, I've been reading a lot of John Piper, and have been really encouraged with how (amongst other things) he speaks with such enthusiasm about our greatest fulfillment and happiness in life being found through glorifying God. It's just such an amazing correlation in my mind, and one that strikes me as one of life's biggest paradoxes. Looking back on what little amount of time I've been apart of this world I asked myself this question; "When am I happiest?". It seems to be a constant theme that when life's trials, and the hurts, pains, and sorrows associated with it, invade my life it is there that I most clearly see God's love at work the most. How amazing! I can never comprehend in my limited human comprehension why a God that is infinitely more glorious than anything that can be imagined would look down from His throne in heaven, with the angels, cherubim, and all the saints singing the praises that He fully deserves, and take such a personal involvement in the life of such a imperfect creation such as myself. Furthermore, not only does he take me out of the emotional abyss I find myself in, but He lifts me up to a plateau of emotion I do not deserve to be on. And this He does by the mere passing revelation of Himself - a glimpse of His glory!...The underlining point in all of this is that I was encouraged to be reminded of the fact that God has a plan, and that he works in and through pain in a way that can be hard to see during the times we are experiencing it. Not that Christians don't struggle humanly in our states of emotional down times during trials - we do! A look at the life of David reveals that clearly. But what is also clear in the life of David is that during these times life's greatest joy, the joy that God brings, is also right there in the midst of our struggles - the ultimate paradox. Like I said before, I was challenged and encouraged to embrace these trials that come as a way to further see God working through me... A perception that can be so hard to hold! I have a hunch it is a lesson I will always need to be reminded of - and have needed to be, many times.

I leave you with the words the Holy Spirit spoke through the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:5-18

For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.


Amen..I hope you all have a good week. God bless!