Our faith contains countless paradoxes—things that seem at odds with one another. You want to save your life? Lose it. You want to be the greatest? Become the least. You want knowledge? Approach God like a child. This “paradoxical” nature is a unique aspect of the Christian faith. And there’s one paradox in Scripture that is very unique because it is true from two seemingly-contradictory perspectives. The idea at hand? Blessings. So, check this out...God’s Word shows us that we don’t deserve the blessings of God because of our actions; yet, He graciously gives them to us. But God’s Word also shows us that if we want God’s blessing, there are certain things we have to do. Two seemingly contradictory statements—that somehow are both true! If we want the blessing of God on our life, we need to become well-acquainted with recognizing the tension of blessing.

God graciously gives us His mercy...even though we don’t deserve it or reach for it. But make no mistake! There are limits to the degree of blessings we will receive if we don’t reach. Some blessings require prayer, fasting, and sacrifice. Some blessings will require that you wrestle with God all night. Some blessings—the best ones—require a burden.

Genesis 32:22-31