We are uniquely designed by God, and our personalities each reflect something of our creator. And, we also each have unique spiritual temperaments – ways our hearts connect with the heart of God. Looking across a room full of people, we see such variety here too!
Today, we take a look at three of the nine temperaments…and over the next couple of weeks, we will look at the other six. As you read, you might think about, what are yours and how might you explore them more fully?
The Activist – connects most with God with a passion to right wrongs in the world. The true activist is at home with confrontation as they feel injustice around them and long to right it. “Close the book on Evil, God, but publish your mandate for us. You get us ready for life: you probe for our soft spots, you knock off our rough edges. And I’m feeling so fit, so safe: made right, kept right. God in solemn honor does things right, but his nerves are sandpapered raw” (Psalm 7:9-11, The Message) might ignite the passion in someone with an Activist spiritual temperament. Some possible ways to explore connecting your heart to God’s more deeply if you’re an Activist might be:
- Ask the Holy Spirit what breaks God’s heart. Consider God’s faithfulness even though there is so much brokenness in our world.
- How do you connect with this verse: “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.’” – John 4:34?
- How might a sense of action to do something to make a difference, connect your heart more deeply to God?
- Look at the various missions on our website or in our Connect booklet connecting with your heart’s passion as an Activist and consider volunteering there…or start a mission of your own!
The Ascetic – connects best with God through solitude and simplicity. They want to get alone with nothing to distract them as they spend time with God to listen and pray, and in that space their souls come awake! Some with an Ascetic temperament will also seek to live more simply – ridding their lives of “stuff” to enable more freedom and space. Here are some ways to deepen your heart’s connection if you have an Ascetic spiritual temperament:
- Simplify your life – clear clutter and eliminate excess.
- Stay up late at night or get up early while it’s still dark to spend time in prayer and worship.
- How do you feel when you read these words – “But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6)?
- Find a special place in your house you find invites you to be still and engage with God and plan time to spend there – or attend a silent retreat. How might you discover solitude to worship even when with a group of people?
The Caregiver – finds connection with God as they love others, often through service. Their love for God overflows in seeing someone’s need and reaching out to meet that need. Their spiritual eyes are attuned to seeing with God’s compassionate eyes. Mother Teresa is a great example of someone with the Caregiver spiritual temperament – but you don’t need to go far away to explore it! Some possible ways to connect your heart more deeply to God’s if you have a Caregiver spiritual temperament:
- How does this verse speak to you? “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). Spend time pondering, inviting the Holy Spirit to speak its truth to you.
- When you have served someone else, what has been your motivation? Being aware of what motivates you can reveal if you have a Caregiver spiritual temperament – and how you react in reading the parable of the Good Samaritan could be a great example.
- Look in your neighborhood – is there someone lonely or elderly, or maybe a young single mother who has extra challenges? Does your heart rise up with compassion? How might you connect with God through service to one of those God lays on your heart?
Next week we will review worship through the spiritual temperaments of Contemplatives, Enthusiasts and Intellectuals. – Judi Brandow, Communication Specialist
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