Personality flaw... Or Personal Strength?
We all have things about ourselves that we don't like.
In fact, you've probably already come up with a point or two about yourself that you are less than proud of.
I remember when I was growing up that some words used to describe me were less than complimentary. Stubborn. Bossy. Sassy. I spent a lot of my teenage years trying to figure out who I was, both personally and spiritually. I spent a lot of time trying to curb those unsavory natural instincts. After all, who doesn't want to be liked and accepted?
The problem was that, no matter how hard I tried to change, I would keep defaulting back to those same pesky traits. My sisters didn't care for my bossy tendancies, my stubborn streak was the bane of my mother's existence, and the sassy side... it might be cute in a toddler, but it gets old fast when accompanied by rampant teenage hormones.
It wasn't until life knocked me around a few times that I had to really examine the person I was and evaluate what changes I could make to become the person I wanted to be. I wanted to be someone that God approved of. I wanted my family and friends to be proud of me and occasionally actually like to hang out with me.
I just wanted to be... good.
Someone told me to look to The Word to see what God says about me. I knew a few of the common verses.
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;" Jeremiah 1:5a
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:14
Over and over His word tells us how much He loves us. He knows our hearts and minds better than we do.
He knew exactly who I was before I was born. He knew that I would be headstrong and opinionated. He knew I would be curious and imaginative. He knew all the ways that my personality would need to be cultivated.
If He handcrafted us, flaws and all, then He put those seemingly negative traits inside us for a reason. He knew that I needed Him to temper my stubbornness into a fierce determination so that I would be able to handle the things life would throw at me. My bossy streak allowed me to grow into an individual who could take initiative and do the right thing, even if no one else had yet. It would let me take the lead sometimes, even if it's terrifying. Sassy retorts gave way to upbeat adaptability.
We know that God makes no mistakes. Maybe all those character flaws were intentional. Maybe they weren't flaws at all. Maybe they were just raw material that needed to be molded and shaped by experience and circumstance into the plans He had for us all along. I am by no means perfect, but I am working on it.
I firmly believe that whatever things you dislike about your personality are actually just treasures that might need a little polishing. Maybe you think you're too emotional, but He sees it as a gift of empathy. You might think you're too uptight, but He just knew your family needed an anchor. Maybe feeling like you're a little weird actually means that you bring a new perspective to the world around you.
I challenge you to try and find a way to put a positive spin on your insecurities. Try and see yourself through the eyes of the Artist that designed you. You might be surprised at what you see.
