Happy Tension: Diligent beyond ourselves

Paradoxes are great things to explore. They are not contradictions, for their connection and equity simply are beyond our finite understanding. Like when the "peace of God, which surpasses understanding , will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" ( Phil. 4:7 ). How can we experience this peace, yet not understand it? Our knowledge is according to experiencing it, that’s how.

Recently I wrote a paper, and the professor especially liked one section I wrote:

"… two things become apparent to me. One, God does not use lazy people. And two, those who are greatly used by God realize that it does not depend upon them.  Dwelling in and enjoying the tension of this apparent paradox has been my short journey as a servant and child of God."

The paper was about relationships among church leaders, and one pillar of camaraderie I wrote about was diligence . There is no substitute for hard work, and hard working people gain more fuel from the journey by coming into contact with one another. Yet, for all our hard work, we release that this work of God depends upon Him, not us. A person  around me for any length of time knows I love to swim the depths of what I call "happy tensions," the paradoxes of the universe worth exploring.

Consider the happy tension the Apostle Paul writes of (in v. 29 esp.):

"24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. " ( Colossians 1:24-29 )

He was diligent beyond himself by an energy beyond himself. Oh the happy tension of a life lived in the power of God Almighty!

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