What if we lived as though we actually believe God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness? Alia Joy considers this question throughout the pages of her new book Glorious Weakness: Discovering God in All We Lack.
Through lyrical, wistful prose, Alia Joy braids personal stories of poverty, mental illness, and identity with reflections on the Bible’s proclamations about weakness. Alia paints a picture of how the gospel is less about power, strength, and victory, and more about humility, weakness, and death. The Beatitudes—blessed are the poor, meek, and weak—are, in fact, the canvas of the gospel.
Messages about weakness are not always en vogue in Christian (or any) circles. In fact, as I read this book, I found myself humming the lyrics of an old worship song: “Let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich, because of what the Lord has done for us.” Glorious Weakness emphasizes the exact opposite of these words, highlighting the value of the strong admitting weakness and the rich confessing poverty. The paradox of the gospel is that we live through dying.
But despite the melancholic tone of the book, Alia offers hope in every page. Jesus. Love. Mercy. Enough-ness. Instead of the popular message peppered throughout social media memes that if we just rely on ourselves, listen to our hearts, or trust our judgment, then we can be our best selves, Alia offers a surprising reversal.
She writes, “Maybe being poor in spirit is the invitation to truly see the kingdom of God as one who is so loved, so valuable, so recognized by Jesus, a person can come reeking with need and not be found wanting. I meet God most often while splayed not on the altar of my offering but of my poverty” (199).
As a writer myself, I appreciated how Alia Joy activated my sensory experience of the prose through her poetic sentences, imagery, and striking metaphors in ways that many Christian books are deficient. This book demands the reader to slow down and savor each word and sentence and enjoy the beauty of language arranged just-so.
Alia Joy begins her introduction by saying this book is not for everyone. I disagree. I can’t think of a single person who wouldn’t benefit from the message that strength emerges when we first admit we are weak.
You can purchase Glorious Weakness: Discovering God in All We Lack here (pre-order until it is available April 2nd). I am also giving away one free copy to those who sign up for my newsletter by Monday, April 1st, 11:59 pm (MT). Email me at scrapingraisins (at) gmail (dot) com or drop me a message via social media to let me know you signed up!
*I received a free copy of Glorious Weakness from Baker Publishing House, but this review reflects my honest opinion. This post includes Amazon affiliate links.
About Alia Joy:
Alia Joy is an author who believes the darkness is illuminated when we grasp each other’s hand and walk into the night together. Her first book, Glorious Weakness, Discovering God In All We Lack, (Baker Publishing 2019) is a deeply personal exploration of what it means to be “poor in spirit.” Alia Joy challenges our cultural proclivity to “pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps.” while helping readers reclaim the ways God is good, even when life is anything but.
She writes poignantly about her life with bipolar disorder as well as grief, faith, marriage, poverty, race, embodiment, and keeping fluent in the language of hope.
Sushi is her love language and she balances her cynical idealism with humor and awkward pauses. She lives in Central Oregon with her husband, her tiny Asian mother, her three kids, a dog, a bunny, and a bunch of chickens.