Who Am I?
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Additional Insights
For centuries, humans have been interested in the ways that we differ in our mix of passions, personalities, and giftings. While personality and temperament assessments have become increasingly popular as tools for personal and professional growth in the last few years, the idea that each of us has a unique inner wiring is actually ancient. From a Christian perspective, we know that God has given each of us certain gifts that we have the opportunity to develop and use to serve others and in turn, love him more. While it can seem self-serving or arrogant to delve into a study of yourself, it’s an important exercise that can help you to accept yourself and others more easily, and to serve those around you in love.
1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
Our gifts are just that. Gifts given from a good heavenly Father — not because we deserve them, but out of an abundance of love and grace, which takes various forms in each of our lives. Discovering what those gifts are and how we can nurture them to understand ourselves and serve others is an important exercise in spiritual development.
Think About It
What are three words that people have consistently used to describe you over the course of your life? How can those words help inform you about your gifts?
What do you think are the most pressing needs in the lives of people today? Identifying which of those needs bothers you the most may be a clue into your gifts as you press into helping meet the needs of others.
If you had an extra day of the week with no responsibilities, what would you spend that time doing? What can your answer show you about how you’re wired and what you may want to consider building more time for in your current schedule?
Apply It
In a note on your phone, write three to five words that you feel confident describe your personality or wiring (introverted, artistic, social, compassionate, etc.). Once you’ve written those down, use the thesaurus tool on your phone to search each of these words, and copy and paste the ones you feel describe you best. (For example, if you look up the word compassionate, you may write beneath it words like understanding, caring, and concerned from the thesaurus. Use this list to help you think about how God has wired and gifted you. Consider which of these traits and gifts you would like to lean into more as you grow spiritually.
For Group Discussion (If Desired)
Most of us spend a significant amount of time doubting ourselves and wondering if we’re good enough or talented enough to be accepted by God or others. In what area of your life do you struggle with this self-doubt the most? Why do you think that area specifically causes doubt for you?
What would it look like practically for you to spend more time developing one of your God-given gifts? Discuss how you’ve used that gift in the past to serve others and how you might want to use it in the future.