Recently I was at my chiropractor's office having a session of therapeutic massage. Oh, glory! I had a kink behind my shoulder blade for over a week, and it radiated down into my arm... youch!
During my session, I could hear the receptionist—a bubbly woman in her early 50s—laughing just outside the door, and it made me grin. Her laugh is just sort of contagious. And I started thinking, "She has such a buoyant personality—always a sunny outlook." (And to think she had just told me she has breast cancer would be having a mastectomy the following week!) I found myself wishing that God had made my personality a little more merry, like hers. It made me wonder what the world would be like if more people's personalities were more cheerful and uplifting. Couldn't God use more personalities like that? Wouldn't you think He'd place more value on an outgoing, cheerful personality?
But then I remembered how God made us as individuals—Psalm 139 says He knit me together in my mother's womb—and further, in Genesis 1:27, that we were made in His image. We each have our own distinct personality that HE chose specifically for us... why? For His good purposes, for His enjoyment, and for His glory!
So I have concluded God must have His reasons for making everyone so different, and some of us less naturally sunny than others... and He values them all! He delights in us (Psalm 149:4). And He can use our personalities in beautiful ways when we surrender ourselves to Him and allow Him to channel our natural tendencies toward being sensitive, or bossy, or laid back, or gregarious. :)
My husband is downstairs presently, playing his guitar and singing "He loves us, oh how He loves us..." (a David Crowder song)—and how fitting as I sit here pondering how to conclude this post. Thank you, God, for loving us so completely!
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3 comments:
I have often in my life wished I were different. I came out talking my mother said. Was called "motor mouth" as a child. She also said I never knew a stranger. I still frequently talk to perfect strangers and before you know it we are hugging one another. But I loathed that about myself. And on occasion I still wish that God had made me a gentle and quiet soul not a talkative bold one! Loved this post! What a precious heart to be so joyful when facing such a trial. Loved your thoughts that the experience brought about! Thanks for sharing them. So glad God loves me how He made me. Blessings!
I am currently memorizing and meditating on Psalm 139:13. What a wonderful thing it is to consider how intimately God knows us - better than we know ourselves!
So tempting to want to be 'her' many days. But how good it is when we realize God has a purpose for the way He has made us.
Hi Sara! A massage sounds great - I've never gotten one. I love this post. I know people like the receptionist you mentioned (in fact, I think I'm married to one!) It's hard, but it is good to remember that God created us each individually, instead of thinking that the grass is always greener on the other side of the personality scale!
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