last week, i started a bible study class at church called, “The Emotionally Intelligent Christian: Developing and Using Spirit-Controlled Emotions.”
it isn’t as weird as it sounds.
it is basically a Biblical maturity course about learning to take hold of our emotions and expressing them in a godly manner.
i signed up for it because well, i am high-emotion and extremely analytical. an internal dialogue is constantly flowing – which kinda turns me into a mess. i don’t know if you know that about me. it is something i want to gain some control over. life’s too short to be all caught up in one’s head, plus not having a good hold of our emotions, isn’t spiritually healthy.
anyway, during the first class there was an exercise in self-awareness. the facilitator, who know me, decided to use me as a guinea pig. he asked,
“crystal, what are your strengths?”
okay, so i am generally really confident, not at all intimidated by speaking in front of people and pretty self-aware, but for some reason i had a really hard time answering that question. all stutter-y i said, “uh graphic design, connecting with women… and i don’t know, blah.” in hindsight i would have much rather have said something like, “loyalty, creativity, generosity, etc.”
how about you? what are your strengths?
don’t be shy, everyone has at least one.
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if you’re interested in the class, homework from the first lesson was to journal our emotions. now, i am not gonna share what i journal, because it is personal, but feel free to journal on your own. it is really interesting what you can learn.
here’s the journal assignment: each day this week record one holy emotion (ie. happy, joyful) and one human emotion (ie. sad, angry). if you have a fleshy emotion, record those too.
1) what was the emotion?
2) what triggered it?
3) what behaviors resulted from the emotion?
4) how long did the emotion last?
A couple of things come to mind… I like to think that I am generous with my time – offering an ear where needed and sound advice along the way. I am also one that questions why we do things a certain way – the same way – over and over again (can be a strength and a weakness). I am never afraid to ask a question so that I can learn. I love to get in front of people unless I am emotionally caught up in what I am talking about and then I keep searching for the words… there you have it.
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Sounds like an amazing bible study!!!!
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i can make a mean grilled cheese!
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Ok..so this is an area I struggle with…I rarely think there is much good in me…strengths are simply a part of what must be done (well, in my head). Over the last couple of months I have been thinking (and asking friends) about my strengths..here’s what I’ve come up with…
1. administrative tasks (esp church admin)
2. peacemaker (esp between difficult personalities)
3. can see the big picture.
4. teaching
5. crazy good memory…with names and what people share.
that’s enough for now..I feel blessed.
thanks for asking us to reflect!
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I struggle to find my strengths. I think it comes from having a negative self-image for so long. I guess if I had to pick something, I would say my compassion/empathic spirit. I guess that’s a good thing to have since I’m pursuing becoming a hospital chaplain.
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This is definitely a struggle for me to actually type or say outloud. Wow.
I have a good ear and have sung harmony at church from time to time. I also play piano in the worship band (both of these at the wesley foundation I attend during school.)
I love to listen and help other people and don’t have a problem with giving my time away. It’s probably more accurate to say that I love to give it away.
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My greatest strength is that I bring out the best in others. My gift of encouragement is used well and I have the wisdom by God to use that power for good and not for evil (as in flattery.)
Also, I am very relational and connect amazingly well with other people no matter where they come from or where they are at. I hope to do this without sacrificing quality of the relationships for the sake of quantity of relationships. If that hope and direction is of God, then I have no worries.
I am overcome with joy and completely honoured and humbled for the way God has made me: perfect to do His will.
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Fine. I’m not good at this, but here goes:
1. Compassion and empathy. Probably more than I need sometimes, but it’s there, and it helps me through my job and my relationships.
2. Discernment. Compassion and empathy are meaningless unless something can be done with them. A healthy dose of wisdom goes a long ways here.
3. Problem-solving. I’ve been told this is my single biggest asset in my job.
4. Thinking outside the box. Goes against the grain of education in general these days, but I put it to use whenever and wherever I can.
5. I’m a good dad. That’s not hard to do, though. Just show up and show you give a rip about your kids’ lives.
6. Play piano. I’m pretty good at worship team and accompanying people.
There. That was tough to do.
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I am very kind hearted and will give the shirt off my back. I want what is best for all.
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it is pretty bad that i have sat here for 5 minutes trying to think of something to say, but nothing is coming….so give me some time.
(10 minutes later)
I have discernment. I can see past what people want me to see.
I am very loving. People need love. So i love.
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Crystal…I haven’t commented on this because I’ve never really thought about what my strengths are. I’m still thinking about it.
I guess perhaps that’s one of my weaknesses…I focus too much one what my weaknesses are and not what my strengths. :-/
I promise I’ll comment once I have thought it through.
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glad to see people finally participating in this. it is important to be able to see the strengths we have. if we don’t know them or can’t see them, it is impossible for us to be effective Christians.
Will, that’s the whole point… to get people thinking and inflecting. take your time! :)
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OK…OK…OK! I’m a great communicator. There, I said it.
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Strengths:
Talking
Writing
Communicating
Organizing
I wish that the Lord would make me better at the things i think really matter to Him. Sometimes talking, communicating, and organizing aren’t so godly. Writing too i suppose. I’m praying for BIG God Sized missions that i will be found faithful in rather than a god sized mission He invited me on that i totally flunk with a capital F!
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heather, if you’re using your gifts to the glory of God then there are no small gifts.
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Sure, we have strengths and such, but why should we boast? It has nothing to do w/us. It’s all God’s grace to us. If we boast and brag, we should be directing that to the Lord – boast in Him, brag on Him.
28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 1:28-31
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Jenn, good point. I am definitely not promoting boasting. I am simply trying to get people to see their strengths… because if we can’t see that we have them, then we’re not using them to glorify Him… thus, we aren’t effective.
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I’m extremely intuitive and can see things that are going on even when I’m not entirely aware of them.
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After some reflecting I’ve figured out that my strengths are my ability to think things through. I know a lot of folks who just act, and worry about the consequences later, I on the other hand think things through, so as not to waste time, or end up being sad in the end.
I also feel like lately I’m somewhat compassionate. My heart is breaking for humanity, and I have so much to do to make things “good” again.
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