Alexi E. George's Blog, page 9

My weakness, my coolness

Being cool is definitely cool. And you want to be cool as often and as long as possible. Therefore, you would never think of sharing your weaknesses. In fact, your goal will be to hide your weaknesses.

But Paul said he will rejoice in his weaknesses. Now, that’s absurd. Ignoring, covering up, or even improving yourself are the common things you’d want to do. Yet there is a clear reason for Paul’s claim that he rejoices in his weaknesses.

For him, Christ is exalted and allowed to be in his rightful place. When Paul paints a clear and accurate image of himself, it is truly an image of weakness. Then only can Christ be allowed to do his awesome work.

The other reason is that you can quit faking it and be yourself. Of course, you don’t want to be obnoxious or rude. But you can be real. And the real you is the coolest form of you there is. By now you’ve figured it out that it’s a given. Adversity is part of life as much as breathing. It’s a fact that no one denies.

But you may not have accepted the fact that on the other side of adversity, advancement awaits you. No, the purpose of adversity may not be advancement. It just seems to follow adversity. It truly is the natural outcome of almost all adversity you will face.

So, should you seek adversity? No need. Just hang around and it will find you. But Don’t fear. There’s advancement and acceleration on the other side.

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The supermarket

It’s hard to know if we should continue to follow up when someone doesn’t show up for a few weeks. Sometimes they are sick or they’re going through a severe financial crunch. There are lots of genuine reasons for not showing up in church. In those situations, a follow up phone call is a welcome and refreshing feature.

Sometimes you get these weird excuses. Finally you get to know from someone else that they’re attending somewhere else. That’s fine, but just let us know. Others do the opposite and bad-mouth you on the way out and continue to do so even after they’re gone.

Sorry. We were just trying to help. Maybe we “helped” too much. Maybe we tried to be Jesus for them and to do the work that the Holy Spirit does. Maybe God doesn’t need our help. We probably should keep pointing to Jesus. I suppose a healthy, “Holy Spirit” gap is needed between us and the people of God.

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The fine art of chasing rabbits

Yes, there is no doubt that chasing rabbits ought to be declared an art. It doesn’t take much practice. Just look for the closest rabbit and begin the chase. Then when you are completely confused, your listeners will be even more confused.

Forget that rabbit when you see another one. Chase this one with all your might. People may think this is your destination, but don’t be so sure. Who wants to stick to one rabbit when there are so many more to choose from?

The next rabbit needs to be more unique than the rest. This is because the people may be catching on to your unique gift of rabbit chasing.

Finally, after multiple chasings you’ve got the people just where you wanted them. Utterly confused and wondering what in the world is happening. Now that you’ve got them to the destination you’ve set out for, just sit down.

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Setting yourself up to face trials

There is no way to guarantee that you’ll be successful in facing trials. But you can set a pattern that will get you pointed in the right direction. Thus you set yourself up to face trials.

Job set up a pattern of obedience and alignment to God’s ways.

“I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food” (Job 23:12).

Although the tragedy in his life is severe, he continues to hold on to his integrity. That was the pattern for him. That pattern of integrity gave him confidence.

“…yet I am not silenced because of the darkness, nor because thick darkness covers my face” (Job 23:17).

The pattern of obedience helped Job to stand and face his trials. The darkness in his life did not silence him.

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How to empty the cross of its power

It’s quite simple. Paul wanted to stay clear of that.

“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the Cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Cor 1:17).

The power of the cross works independently of human capabilities. The cross may appear to be an image of weakness, tragedy, and loss. But it is infused with the power of the Holy Spirit.

But when you try to support it with human elements of eloquence and a plethora of words, you will certainly empty it of its power.

Stand back. Reduce your words. Don’t “spice it up” for effect. Observe the power of the Cross working in amazing ways.

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Miserable comforters

What does misery and comfort have in common? Those two words are so incompatible that you could never use them together.

But Job is forced to use “miserable” as an adjective to describe his friends’ attempt at being comforters. They tried to comfort their friend Job, but it was a failed attempt.

They were busy trying to show how he is to blame for his own troubles. But Job claims innocence. He said he has done nothing to deserve such deep and horrible troubles.

When Job’s friends first came to visit, they did the right thing. They saw the horrible condition of his friend and sat with him in silence for seven days.

“And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great (Job 2:12-13).

That’s the right way to respond to someone facing tragedy.

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Right at the wrong time

Yes, you’ve made your point. You are right. You’re absolutely right but at the wrong time.

Considering the present situation, and the emotions of the poeple you’re dealing with, it’s best to keep your “right” perspective to yourself.

Often, when the value of being “right” is so high, you forget people and their situations, emotions, and their pain. Frankly, you don’t care. You just want to be right.

Hold your thoughts. Keep your “right” perspectives and ideas to yourself for now. The person before you is just not ready. Give them time. Give them grace.

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Are you impatient with God?

It’s one thing to suffer. But it’s entirely a different story when some suffer in silence. When pain prolongs, our patience wanes.

Sometimes we become impatient with people in the course of our pain. That impatience hurts the people who are closest to us. These are the people who reach out to help us in our desperate condition. But our impatience may even drive them away from us.

Job’s friends were also offended with his impatient attitude (Job 4:5). They said that he instructed many people in the course of their struggles. But now, when problems came to him, he became impatient. They were upset with his attitude. They expected him to act differently.

Later, Job clarified that his impatience is not with people but with God (Job 21:4). Job said, “Why should I not be impatient?” Because God knows every aspect of the situation. He also understands us thoroughly. He even understands us better than we understand ourselves.

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Past success, present hinderance

Don’t get me wrong, I love success. Who doesn’t? But success comes with a danger. It has the potential to endanger future success. Or, it may simply hinder progress.

Constantly looking back to the success of the past has the potential to glorify that past. “The good old days” become so glorious that you can’t move forward.

You may even begin to pattern your suture according to your past successes. But you future has challenges and situations that you’ve never had in the past. You’re actually setting yourself up for failure.

By all means celebrate your past successes. But face the future with new patterns of thought and action – to face the newer challenges.

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God’s gain?

If God were to gain something, it implies that he has a lack. It suggests that he needs something. This would also suggest that he is out to get something for himself.

One of Job’s friends asks some important questions:

“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself. Is it any pleasure to the almighty if you are in the right, or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless? Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you and enters into judgement with you? (Job 22:2-4)

The answer to each of the questions above is “no” God is not trying to get anything out of us. The fact is that he is all sufficient and needs nothing.

But God’s purposes are beyond our understanding. For our own good, we need to be in a right relationship with him. Our love for him needs to be genuine. The reason for our relationship with God needs to be genuine. Our trust in him needs to be firm even in difficult times.

God is not out to get something from us. We are the ones who get all the benefits of this wonderful relationship.

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