“As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
as poor, yet making many rich;
as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”
– II Corinthians 6:10
“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;
we are perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken;
cast down, but not destroyed.”
– II Corinthians 4:8-9
During my devotions yesterday, I was struck by the Apostle Paul’s use of paradox in these verses. At first glance, these pairs seem antithetical. Contradictory. Impossible.
How could Paul write that they could somehow exist simultaneously in the believer’s life?
How can we be sorrowful yet continually rejoicing? How can we be poor, having nothing, yet possess all things and make many others rich?
We can’t.
Not by ourselves.
Our natural response to poverty is not a recognition of abundance, nor is not letting ourselves fall into “the depths of despair,” as Anne Shirley so eloquently put it, when we are faced with perplexity.
The solution is found one verse earlier in II Corinthians 4: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (vs. 7).
We are the earthen vessels and Christ is the treasure inside. It is He who enables these seemingly immiscible concepts to blend in our lives.
Go back up and take a closer look at the verses. Is not the first state in each pair indicative of our physical, earthly situation while its antithesis is our spiritual position in Christ? And is not the reason “this mystery” can be reconciled in us because of “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:26-27)?
Because we are indwelt by Christ and have been exceedingly blessed with His abounding grace (II Corinthians 9:8), everlasting strength (Isaiah 26:4), all spiritual blessings in heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3), and all things that pertain to life and godliness (II Peter 1:3), these paradoxes can be true in us. He is working in us and through us to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).
All we have to do is trust Him and keep our eyes fixed on the things above, as Paul commands us in Colossians 3. Our perspective is independent of our circumstances. That is why we can rejoice in sorrow, be rich in poverty, and be troubled yet not distressed.
The secret to this life of paradox is found in utter contentment in and dependency upon Christ. It is in Him that we find joy, peace, and the abundant life, for “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21).
But that’s not where it ends.
Once these paradoxes have been developed in us, we are to pour ourselves out for others. We are earthen vessels filled up with Christ to be emptied in the lives of others around us, all for His honor and glory. Christ has given us His abundance, so even while we may be poor on earth, we can still make others rich.
A humble life marked by these paradoxes will speak volumes to a hurting, perplexed, despairing, bitter, dark world. It might seem like nonsense to the unbeliever, but it may also cause him to wonder, and then we must be ready when he asks us of the reason for the hope within us (I Peter 3:15).
Yet, while Christ is the one who works out the paradoxes in us, He cannot work unless we are willing – unless we have yielded ourselves unconditionally to Him. Only in death to self do we find life, only in sacrifice do we find gain.
Divine Paradox
Amy Carmichael
But all through life I see a cross
Where sons of God yield up their breath:
There is no gain except by loss,
There is no life except by death;
And no full vision but by faith
Nor glory but by bearing shame,
Nor justice but by taking blame.
And that Eternal Passion saith:
“Be emptied of glory and right and name.”
