Your Personalilty and the Spiritual Life - Part 1
For a Seminary Assignment, we are reading Reginald Johnson’s book Your
Personality and the Spiritual Life and have been asked to evaluate 3 people
(including ourselves, if applicable) according to the personal spiritual type
presented. While reading the first 6 chapters, I was quickly able to identify
three people matching the personality types that were mentioned [in chapters
3-6].
The Energizers (ESTP and ESFP)
Reverend Brian Scramlin: Senior Pastor at my church. He
has the “shield” that overwhelms and draws you in. He is expressive, a great
storyteller and performer. He is enthusiastic about EVERYTHING and EVERYONE.
The qualities that make him so endearing and draw people to him can also give
the false perception that he desires to be deeply involved in people’s lives,
to give them attention. He struggles with saying yes to too many things
(people, commitments, hobbies, etc.). He has admitted he struggles with people-pleasing;
he doesn’t like to be the person that has to say NO and is really negatively
impacted by conflict. Likewise, he finds it more difficult to navigate Pastoral
Counseling than other things because there isn’t always a clear answer and way
to navigate the conflicts in people’s souls.
Mike Hewitt: From the little time I have spent with Mike
during our June cohort, I sensed he was this type of person. He has the energy,
enthusiasm. Everything is met with a “Wow,” or “that’s incredible” or “that’s
fascinating.” Mike is an encourager and has a heart that is easily moved by
compassion. I sense that some of the opportunities for growth that the chapter
mentioned are roads that Mike has already traveled down some to journey towards
wholeness and temper his enthusiasm and ardor with faithfulness and steadiness.
The Renewers (INFJ and INTJ)
Myself! When I have taken the MBTI the most consistent
result is INFJ (sometimes INFP). Reading this chapter I saw myself. I am always
seeking depth and meaning in everything. Being in the present is not easy
because I always ask, “Why?” and am focused on the past or future a lot. I am
not content just to do something “to do it” without knowing the underlying
motivation. My preference would be to revitalize people rather than things
(which is why I’m considering Pastoral Counseling as an emphasis). I struggle
with loneliness which is much of my own making, so I have space to process. I
identified with all of the infirmities; overindulgence is one I have struggled
with in all of the aspects mentioned (and some not). It makes sense now why
video games are an attractive outlet to have fun.
Key insights from this chapter for me were:
1) They have a creation gift of insight and vision.
“As introverted persons, Renewers work privately with their intuitive insights,
pondering their meanings and implications, sounding their depths and exploring
their richness before they share them with others.”[1]
“…. In groups, for example, you may find that Renewers may be rather quiet,
but then they do speak, is it usually worth the wait! They often possess the
ability to communicate with eloquence, typically in the language of symbol and
imagery.”[2]
“… INFJ Renewers express their gifts through revitalizing people.”[3]
“… Renewers need to resist their (occasional) natural tendency toward
stubbornness and listen to the observations and criticisms of others! Otherwise
their (intuitive) gift may actually turn into an infirmity!”[4]
2) I identified with all of the infirmities of the Renewer: loneliness,
restlessness, indulgence, and overextension.
“Because the most used faculty of the Renewer is intuition, the least used
of the mental functions is sensing. Since the senses are the least used and the
least trusted, the represent the most repressed and most immature dimensions of
the Renewer’s life.”[5]
Reginald Johnson goes on to explain that this can mean the Renewers can be
subject to temptation to overindulge the senses (entertainment, physical appetites,
sexual fantasy, crudest license are all potential sources for getting what is
needed in ways that are destructive. This is a key insight for me, since much
of the temptation I struggle with pertains to this very thing. I mentioned video
games as an outlet above that makes sense; I have been trying now unsuccessfully
to phase this out of my life and they key is identifying and embracing new ways
to engage my senses in ways that draw me closer to God an allow me to feel engaged
and connected with Him and others.
posted by fusek330 @ 7:51 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home