As we saw in the previous posts, each personality type has its own strengths and weaknesses.

The neatest thing to know is that God made you just the way you are.

He did not make a mistake.  He wanted you to be uniquely you.  He wanted your special kind of voice in the world.

In His creating of you, He had a certain something in mind for you to do.  He made you for a certain something that only you can accomplish.

Consider with me for just one moment that your special voice is not being heard in the world because of an enemy. 

Consider an enemy of such great malevolence and hatred for your soul that his goal from your very beginning was to silence you. Please consider also, that God’s word says that it is really very true.

Wait a minute!  If this is so, then I don’t stand a chance!  Au contraire!  Quite the opposite!

Beloved, I have one more thing for you to consider.

The God, who made you, gave you a way to rewrite your story.  This God of the universe sent you a love letter, and in this love letter, He told you all you need to know about life and godliness. 

In other words, He’s given you all you need to know about how to make your own special voice heard in the midst of all the others.

Let’s just take one step today.  Shall we? 

In the previous posts about Personality Types, there was a short list of four basic types of personality.  Choleric, Sanguine, Melancholy and Phlegmatic.

Look at the separate traits of each and define which types you mostly find yourself in.  There will probably be two that are the most prominent.

With those two in mind, take a peek at the lists with your two most prominent types.

Look first at the strengths.  See how amazing you are?  No other person is made the exact same way.  You are unique.

Now look at your weaknesses.  See how amazing you still are?  No other person is made the exact same way.  You are unique.

Here’s where the fun begins.  Choose the two weaknesses you dislike the most.  Choose even one if two is too many. 

Choose the smallest one if you need to.  Just choose something.

Now go to Galatians 5:22-23. (NIV)  Or read it here.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.

Example;

My major is the choleric.  My chart says that I like to be in charge and am work oriented.  These are not bad things unless taken to the extreme.

In my “taking charge” I can unintentionally run right over the quieter types like the melancholy or phlegmatic, inflicting unintentional damage on them.

Since I like to work, I can actually be doing a task from morning to night without stopping or paying attention to any other duties I may have in my life.

Since I enjoy my work, I can be an aggravation to my family.  They like to chat; they need clean clothes and at times really appreciate being fed.  All of these things are overlooked by me when I’m on a task.

Since I enjoy plans that work, and I know that 99% of the time my plans do work, I can be in charge and be pretty harsh about it. 

Other people don’t care if it works or not if the leader runs ruff-shod over them. 

They tend to run, or at the least, just fade away slowly, leaving me upset to be finishing up alone.

To deal with the control issues, I chose forbearance and gentleness from the list in Galatians.  I chose self-control for my work issues.  Then I prayed.

Lord,

Today I see that I’ve not been too patient or gentle with the people around me.

Please help me to notice what I am doing, and to take time to remember that the way they do the task will still get the task done.

Help me to have self-control, and know when to stop.  Everything does not have to be finished today, but I can have another go at it tomorrow.

I so want the “Fruits of the Spirit” to be evident in my life.

Thank you for your help Lord.

Amen.

 

Studies have proven that it takes twenty one days to break a habit. (These numbers change depending on the study, but the principle is the same)  I believe some take longer. 

I have prayed this prayer or one like it many times.  The change in me began slowly, but has picked up momentum, and my weaknesses are easier to spot (since they do try to return) and easier to stop, now more than ever.

I found after this prayer that I’m actually pretty introverted – I can be both – tied to my work, or in charge.

You will “know in your knower” when you are making progress, and you will also know when it is time to go to another item in the list, and work on it.

Just don’t give up!  Keep on going!

Galatians 6:9   (NIV)

⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Thanks for joining me in this little series. I hope you have found it helpful in finding how just how you’re wired.

If you would like to ask questions or have further discussions on this topic, feel free to comment, or contact me via IM.