Can your Enneagram or Personality Test stifle your Testimony – When God brings about a courage to share your story when it is utterly against your nature.

There is something oddly reassuring when you read a description that fits you to a T; almost as though the writer has pegged every detail about how you think, process, act, and are. Your inmost thoughts are explicitly laid out on paper; someone gets you, they understand you, right down to your very core. I have taken the tests, I know my 4-letter personality code and it was shockingly accurate. While nothing is inherently wrong with knowing and reading up on your specific personality, it is dangerous to limit yourself to the description offered on that page.

• To not host because your profile description says it’s not a strength is something you may very well want to reevaluate what the Bible says; likewise, if you only ever want to host and take that joy from another even being able to offer, you may want to reevaluate what the Bible says about being what your focus should be on.
• To not speak up to defend Christ because you’re an introvert is something you may want to reevaluate in terms of contending for your faith; on the other end of that spectrum to speak up about every wrong because your personality profile boasts of a boldness in character, you may want to reevaluate what the Bible says about taming your tongue.

There are many, many ways in which we can all default to our “personality” as an excuse to either do or not do what the Bible clearly lays out as defining measures of our faith.

There are many, many ways in which we can all default to our “personality” as an excuse to either do or not do what the Bible clearly lays out as defining measures of our faith.

Anchored Abode

My middle name could well have been ‘introvert’. I love being in the background, recharging alone in my own home, not speaking in front of groups (even 4 people can be scary to me), even to the point where I could get anxious about small talk, being hospitable was a rather foreign concept. I let that define my personhood and giftings: who I was and what I decided I could offer the Lord within the constraints of those boundaries.

That’s not how the Lord works and that’s not what boundaries are for. In church this week I was reminded that the Holy Spirit is a transforming spirit who transcends personality. I have personally witnessed that in my life. Never would I have foreseen the day that I would boldly share my faith and the trials we have been faced with; they were mine and I clung to them deep within almost as though it was a special little secret I had with God.

Except that the fear is now gone. One of the verses that stuck out to me last year was the ever popular:

Be strong and courageous.

Joshua 1:9

It is most helpful when studying the Bible to look up the actual words used so we understand what the author is conveying instead of assumptions that we bring into our reading. So I looked up the meanings of strong and courageous. In the definitions of the word ‘strong’ (“chazaq”) we find it is a verb meaning to be strong, to strengthen, to be courageous, to overpower. It means courage. Since the word courage is already mentioned, this means it is either a quality word applicable for translation, or courage means the same and we need to take note since it’s mentioned twice. We find when we look it up that ‘amats’ means to be alert mentally, steadfastly minded, strong, established, fortified, etc.

So to be strong and courageous is to be mentally on point, steadfast, strong in our stance, courageous in our faith. It is to embolden us so that we are ready for the battles, to stand firm in our faith. Steadfast was my main take away — like a hand held out that isn’t shaking. We ought to be steadfast.

This song by Big Daddy Weave has resonated with me since the first time I heard it. While I know nothing really of the group who sings it (so this is not a commendation that they are living in right relationship with the Lord as I just don’t know), the words are powerful and some that I wish to emulate.

“If I told you my story
You would hear Hope that wouldn’t let go
And if I told you my story
You would hear Love that never gave up
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life, but it wasn’t mine

If I should speak then let it be
Of the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
Oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him

If I told you my story
You would hear victory over the enemy
And if I told you my story
You would hear freedom that was won for me
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life overcome the grave”

“Oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him.”

When I share my story tomorrow, I hope you see Him in all of it weaving throughout it while changing me entirely, and that it is being shared solely for His glory. Please also join me and comment a link to your own testimony or share it directly in the comments.

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