A Spirit Filled Personality

by Elizabeth Stewart

Finding your personality profile seems to be all the rage right now. If you’re on social media you’ve more than likely stumbled on several personality tests and may even have clicked on and taken a few of them.  It can be fun and sometimes even insightful as you read your personality strengths and weaknesses and think to yourself, “yes, that’s me alright!”

On several different occasions I’ve taken the Myers-Briggs test. The results always show that I am an INFJ personality type. One of the strengths of an INFJ is that I am empathetic, I can feel and enter into the pain that others are going through. One of my weaknesses is that I am sensitive. I can be easily wounded and offended.

Insights into ourselves can be helpful, but, when stubbornly held onto they may become harmful. I'm sure you've heard yourself or someone else say, “that’s just the way I am!”

Unfortunately, this can be said with a tinge of stubbornness and pride and an unwillingness to change.

In Ephesians chapter three verse sixteen, (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition), it says, “May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality.”  When we are born again, the fullness of God through His Spirit comes to dwell in us. I’ve heard it said that there is nothing more beautiful than a Spirit-filled personality and I firmly believe it. As we yield to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, He takes our strengths and uses them for His kingdom and glory and He takes our weakness and gives us His strength in those areas. God’s glory is seen in us, not when we try to morph ourself into someone or something that we are not, but when He is allowed to refine and shine through our uniqueness.

In my morning devotional time, I’ve found it to be quite powerful to pray scriptures back to God. Ephesians 3:16 is a verse that I pray frequently.  “Holy Spirit, dwell in my innermost being and personality. Use my strengths for your purposes and where I am weak show Yourself strong. Shape and mold and refine what needs changed in me.” I trust that God’s intention isn’t to make me into someone He never created me to be, but to make me the best me I can be, with a personality that He can shine through.

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