9 BOASTING IN WEAKNESS must gain a greater vantage point of the environment from a position higher up on a balcony.8 This process can be achieved by getting external feedback, visiting different environments, reading, or quiet reflection.9 Blackaby and Blackaby speak to the need for leaders to prioritize time alone with God. The authors note that leaders can easily allow numerous commitments and responsibilities to take control of their schedules. Blackaby and Blackaby suggest that these leaders must master their schedules and responsibilities to focus on the most important ones. Leaders must follow the pattern of Jesus, who made time alone with God as His utmost priority. This will then enable leaders to allow God to set the agenda for their life.10 Wayne Cordeiro provides a sobering caution for leaders who fail to abide in his book Leading on Empty. Cordeiro demonstrates that a failure to abide is more than a lack of fruit. It can be utter ruin for the leader. The author chronicles his experience as a pastor who forgot his human limitations. Due to a lack of rest, retreat, and solitude, Cordeiro found himself on the verge of not only burnout but potentially life-threatening health issues. Cordeiro argues that leaders must prioritize consistent time off to replenish their souls to serve in the long run.11 Paul notes in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” Paul worked hard in his apostolic ministry. Nevertheless, he understood that the power to work hard and persevere in his calling originated with God’s grace at work in Him as he sought to abide in Christ. Leaders who emulate this example boast about their weaknesses as they magnify God’s grace at work in their lives. A leader’s commitment to abide can yield a greater sense of fruitfulness, a broader perspective on life, and the likelihood of the leader’s ability to persevere in her role and calling. Weak Leaders Get Help Leaders who boast about their weaknesses recognize their limitations. In Psalm 103:14, the author provides the humbling reminder that God
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