The Grand Paradox
The Messiness of Life, the Mystery of God and the Necessity of Faith
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
If we were made for relationship with God, why do we often feel lost and distant from Him?
The life of Christian faith is and always has been a beautifully awkward reality. Following Jesus is done—can only be done—in the messiness of this world into which we were all born. Yet many Christians expect the walk of faith to be easier, neater, and relatively devoid of hassles.
So perhaps it’s time for a frank conversation about the true nature of Christian faith. Maybe there are many desperately in need of a clear dialogue about how—despite living in a turbulent, chaotic world—our greatest joy is found in our pursuit of God.
In The Grand Paradox, Ken Wytsma seeks to help readers understand that although God can be mysterious, He is in no way absent.
God’s ways are contradictory and counter to the way the world tells us to pursue happiness. Doubt is okay, it will accompany in the life of faith. What looks like struggle can actually be the most important and meaningful season of our lives.
This book is an exploration of the art of living by faith. It is a book for all those wrestling with the paradoxes that confront those who seek to walk with Christ. It’s an honest look at how faith works, here and now, in our culture, our time—and how to put down real roots and flourish in the midst of our messy lives.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
God can seem mysterious and distant sometimes, even without being absent. That paradox is just part of faith, says Wytsma (Pursuing Justice), a pastor and founder of the Justice Conference. God's ways are different from the world's, so believers should expect some contradictions about how to find happiness. He encourages the reader to embrace and explore questions, rather than brush them aside. Learning how to trust, even when a leap of faith seems counterintuitive, is the key to moving beyond human understanding and pursuing a closer relationship with God, he says. Questions about God and purpose amid the messiness of life can be answered by focusing on Jesus and finding joy in following him, Wytsma asserts. Grounded in examples from scripture and life experiences, his honest exploration of the questions and doubts Christians have speaks to both newer believers who might not fully understand their faith, and also to longtime followers who have gotten off track or are looking to understand why they believe.
