Upside Down and Inside Out

(Originally posted August 7, 2008)

I'm always amazed at how God works upside-down and inside out. Trials turn into blessings. I think God gets a huge kick out of taking a struggle or a trying situation and pouring grace and hope into it only like he can.

I ran across a quote that expresses God's upside-downness better than I ever could:

When Jesus says, "Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28), the poor stand a better chance than most of knowing what he's talking about and knowing that he's talking to them. In desperation they may even be willing to consider the possibility of accepting his offer. ~ Frederick Buechner

We all suffer from a delusion of comfort and satisfaction apart from God. This is the biggest hindrance to us following God: the thought that we're alright on our own. It's not our brokenness that keeps us from him -- actually that's the key to the whole transaction. We have to accept our brokenness, our sin, our heavy burden so that we can give it to God.

I think that's somehow close to what Jesus means when he says "Blessed are the poor in spirit." It's upside-down and inside-out, but that's the way God's grace and love work.