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Meeting the needs of others through ministry projects is one of the most rewarding endeavors you'll ever undertake, but it is still hard work. Surprisingly, your exhaustion often stems from an unlikely source: your personality. If you have the type of personality that is energized by being around other people, then you'll likely find a solo ministry task exhausting. On the other hand, if you frequently need some "alone time" to recharge, you will likely be worn out by a ministry project that involves spending lots of time around other people.
Most people are neither completely extroverted nor completely introverted; nevertheless, everyone tends to exhibit the general characteristics of one or the other. Extroverts are energized by time spent with others, and they tend to speak or act first and reflect on their behavior later. In contrast, introverts are energized by time spent alone and tend to consider the consequences before speaking or acting. Our culture often encourages those with an extroverted personality while considering introverted traits as a sign of weakness. This bias is completely unfounded.
You see examples of both personality types among some of the Bible's principle characters. Probably the most obvious example of an extrovert is Peter, one of Jesus' twelve disciples. It's as if every page of the four gospels offers Peter another opportunity to speak or act without thinking: jumping out of the boat to walk on water, offering to build shelters on the Mount of Transfiguration, and cutting off the ear of a soldier arresting Jesus. However, Peter's extroverted personality provides moments of greatness as well. Peter was the first of the Twelve to openly confess that Jesus was the Son of God, and his bold preaching on the Day of Pentecost resulted in 3000 new believers. Certainly, Jesus can use extroverted disciples.
Perhaps the most obvious Biblical example of an introvert is Jesus himself. This example may be a difficult one to swallow so let's put it in perspective. We believe that Jesus was fully human and fully divine at the same time. "Fully human" means Jesus had a human personality just like he had a human foot, and his human personality had specific traits just like his eyes had a specific color. However, the fact that Jesus was "fully divine" means that Jesus never allowed his human personality to cause him to disobey God.
So why do we think Jesus was an introvert? Over and over, the Bible describes how Jesus withdrew to a lonely place. Jesus ministered among the multitudes, but he spent time alone to recharge. In fact, look closely and you'll see this pattern: after every period spent in private, a significant ministry event in the life of Jesus took place. Introverts, take heart. Jesus knows firsthand that your effectiveness in ministry depends, in part, on the necessity of spending time alone to regroup, process, and renew.
Whatever our type, we must strive to follow Jesus' example. We must not allow our personality to control us. Instead, we must "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV). Sometimes, God calls introverts to be bold leaders, to work in cooperation with teams, or to speak, teach, or share in public. Likewise, extroverts must sometimes sit in solitude to complete mundane tasks, to think through upcoming situations, or to study and prepare for teaching or leading. In every case, God knows what you need to be effective, and your obedience to him--in opposition to the tendencies of your personality type--gives God the chance to provide for your personality's needs in unexpected ways.
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Today's Prayer:
Dear God, please help me to understand what invigorates
me and what exhausts me so that I can be an effective servant for you.
Give me understanding for people whose personalities differ from mine
so that we can serve you together.
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Follow these instructions to complete your personality test:
- Register with your name and email. Your information remains confidential.
- Answer
the series of questions. If you don't understand a question, just
choose between the two options and move on to the next one.
- Submit your answers and instantly receive your results.
- Look for the email link on the results page. Email your report to pam@fbcmarionark.org.
- Your personality will be added to your SHAPE profile.
- For further insight (with a minimal cost), you can
purchase indepth reports, but the free report is more than enough to get
started in understanding your personality.
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Elizabeth Barnett is a state-licensed counselor for children, teens, individual adults, couples, and families. She helps people in all kinds of situations through confidential sessions at the First Baptist Church Counseling Center.
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