My personality always felt like a handicap.
Last week, while rummaging through the storage room, I unearthed journals from my teen years. The old personality that repulsed me all those years ago, gawked at me from the pages.
At 40 years old, I should want to cuddle that teen in my heart and send a quick prayer of thanks that she made it through. Instead, I am embarrassed all over again. Because I still see those quirks in me today.
As a kid I wanted to hide my personality away from the rest of the world like hiding a pet in a carry-on during a flight. But unlike the cuddly handbag pup, my personality felt more like a gnarly, imposing reptile.
I always believed my feelings were too strong. My reactions too intense. And my perceptions off base.
Conceal, don’t reveal became my motto. If they see the real me, they will turn away for sure.
But I have no problem loving my quirky friends. Each one exposes a side of me I would not see if I didn’t experience her. She sprinkles her wonder into my life and I am better for it.
Now it’s time to friend ourselves.
In reality, our personalities are custom designed by God for our unique life and calling.
It’s time to hug the little girl and teen girl inside you. It’s time to admire the woman you’ve become. It’s time to acknowledge your unique perspective of the world as a gift, to yourself and to others.
Our personalities are not perfect. Perfection, a completely unflawed life, isn’t possible this side of eternity. However, holiness, being set apart and different, is possible.
Being completely ourselves IS being different. And being different is our destiny. God constructed us outside the molds of mainstream culture, religious culture, and popular trends.
Why try to squeeze ourselves back into those molds and bruise our true beauty?
Our voices, our personalities, and our perspectives are unique. We are sacred.
As you invite Him in, the Holy Spirit stretches out inside your personality, carrying with Him all the nutritious fruit of the spirit. Good fruit famine does not exist in Him. When we lean our personalities onto Him, He inhabits us and steeps His aroma of love throughout our whole being, including our personality.
(Galatians 5:22-23)
May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. Ephesians 3:16 (AMPC)
We can trust Him with our personalities. If you are afraid to hurt someone or garner too much criticism for being truly you, ask for wisdom. We all have weaknesses in our personalities. But if we stay connected to Him, His love gently points it out and sands away prickly edges. Welcome him into those places. (Colossians 3:10)
Instead of fishing around for splinters in your personality, bear hug yourself today.
Appreciate the gift of you.
Don’t cage your beautiful expression of God from us any longer. Let your true imagination, perspective, likes and dislikes display His nature to us.
The biggest thing you have to work on is not toning down your greatness.
-Alicia Keys, The Voice Coach and Grammy Award Winner
Embracing Your Personality
We waste a lot of time meditating on our personality flaws. Instead, today, take a few minutes and think about what you love about your personality.
Make a list. And thank God for you.
A lot of us are thanking God for the gift of you today, too.
Visit this post for more encouragement on embracing your personality including links to a personality test, spiritual gift tests, exploring your strengths and enneagram type.
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