Devotionals
par·a·dox /ˈperəˌdäks/
a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.
The thing about having a relationship with God is that it's a Paradox. The closer you grow to God, the further you'll feel from Him. It hurts, I know. However, I have found that realizing this will make the journey a little easier on your heart.
The reason growing in our faith is a paradox is because it seemingly contradicts itself, but it's real. The more you pray and just talk to God the stronger you become, & the strong souls are the most tested. Look at Job! He was "blameless & upright" {Job 1:1}, he "feared God & shunned evil" {Job 1:1}. Job was a model Christian and lived a life dedicated to God. He is a great example of how to live a life pursuing God that is also attractive to us. He was wealthy, had a large family, had a lot of things-- but because he worshipped God-- & not his materialistic possessions-- he wasn't living in great sin despite his riches. Strange right? He had a ton of things & strong faith? RARE. That's what the Adversary thought too...
The Adversary wanted to test Job & show God that Job is a human & will turn his back on God when things get hard. So, Job had everything stripped away. He suffered, he was depressed, and for a moment he lost faith. However, Job regained his faith when he talked to God. In this moment he is closer to God than ever before because he brought all the bad, all the doubt and laid before our Lord.
When we lose faith, God still loves us. Luckily for us, we can't shake God's hold on our hearts. We just have to believe. As we build a stronger foundation we become wiser, we learn more & more about God & how He wants us to live. That alone makes us feel ridden with sin. How could we not? It's just like growing up. When we're younger the simple tasks were hard to do: Eat your veggies, don't hit your sibling, don't run in a parking lot, etc... Now that we're older it's easy not do those things, but it's harder not to: lie, gossip, take God's name in vain, be selfish, etc...
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”
~Michel Legrand
I challenge you to recognize how far you've come, to see how much you've grown & learned. But also look ahead, see how far you have to go, but trust that God will guide you there. He's always here for us, it's our responsibility to go to Him.
“Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” {Luke 9:23.}
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