Sometimes our spiritual experiences and insights will constitute a paradox. That is, they will appear to stand in contradiction to one another. For instance, some in the church may emphasize the sovereignty of God in all things. They will remind the church that all difficult things which come into our lives have passed through the hands of God before they got to us. Therefore, they are for our good, and we ought to “submit to God” through them. James 4:7a; Romans 8:28;
Others may emphasize that we are in a spiritual warfare, and that we have an enemy who will attack us through the circumstances of life. In such cases, the Lord wishes for us to “resist the devil” so that he will flee from us. James 4:7b; 1 Peter 5:8-9.
So on the one hand, we should submit. But on the other, we should resist. Both are true. And both must be held in tension.
Throughout the years, I have come to see that the great bulk of Divine truth is paradoxical. For that reason, I have learned to live in the presence of contradiction. So much so that I can take a nap in the face of it.