That's Just My Personality

Persona is another word for mask or disguise. Persona is the root word for personality. So the personality that is visible on the outside is the thing that we allow people to see. But is that really who I am? Jung defined traits that are prevalent through all nationalities and people groups. Now all of this is nothing new except to say the traits that we allow people to see is how we define ourselves. This is a very narrow view from the eyes of God. According to Jung we all have a propensity to either be introverted or extroverted; intuitive or sensing; thinking or feeling; and judging or perceiving.

In the beginning God made man in His image and man was the perfect man. Man can never be God or a god as some believe yet the lack of real understanding of our opposite self may be the foundation of our sin. For example, an introvert would prefer to gain their energy with down time or alone time or at most a few close friends. If these people also find their spiritual renewal the same way (and I would argue they do) they miss out on the blessing of the large gathering and the learning through a group of like believers. If we tend to be introverted we should practice by exercising the muscle of meeting together in a larger group. This isn't easy by any means but the introvert misses out on this blessing and is constantly searching to fill the void. The same can be said of the intuitive when acting on impulse because this has always worked for them or at least most times. What is lacking is the opposite characteristic - sensing. Instead of filling this void with the positive aspect of sensing; human nature may take precedent and turn to self-indulgence. If we don't search out our opposite identity our nature puts us in a greater place to do the thing that God would not have us do - sin. So if you feel God working on your character you may want to analyze the thing, apply it to your personality type and do the opposite of your nature.

Lots of stuff has been written on the subject. I would recommend Invitation to a Journey by M. Robert Mulholland, Jr.

Creed Branson, Executive Pastor

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