Artie Sposaro

by everydaynate2 at deviantart.com

Our staff team is currently in the process of doing some personal strengths assessment using the Strengthsfinder tool through Gallup. I have to admit that I have a certain ambivalence about these types of evaluations. I know most are soundly research-based, but I generally I suspect given the weather in my head month to month, I would answer differently were I take the test two months from now. Additionally and more profoundly, researchers define the terms and their connections and base the outcome of the assessment on our answers related to these definitions and their connection/disconnection. So, when asked 200 questions about care, communication, learning, control, encouragement, teaching, empathy, action, rest, introversion, introspection, etc. our valuing of these things depends on our personal understanding of the terms and/or questions. My last beef…no one likes to be defined or pigeon-holed. It often feels confining, fatalistic, or depressing. Granted, I know that is not the intention of the assessors.

All this being said, there is great value in knowing more about ourselves so that we discontinue tripping ourselves and apologizing for our uniquenesses. In this case, it is about learning your strengths so that you can more effectively live in and from them.

I found myself getting emotional often as I read the evaluation. I was strongly resonating with the commentary related to my strengths. It felt really good to understand myself better. It was as if I was being validated as a person. This knowledge will certainly help me live in my strengths more fully and acknowledge my weaknesses more readily. There is tremendous value in this. No, the feedback was not perfect. I feel it really missed me in a particular area. As mentioned above, I think it had to do with defining terms. For thos of you who know the Strenghfinder lingo, this is how the themes played out for me; learner, positivity, ideation, activator, belief. Those who know me can see this is a pretty good assessment. However, I think I am more communication than positivity.

So why post this?

Personality/strengths testing aside, it is crucial that we ponder, process, and grow into our identity. Living from our God-given…or as I like to say, grace-given identity is fundamental for healthy holistic living. Our identity as accepted, beloved children of God must be our center, the core. From here we recognize ourselves as significant, unique individuals in and from whom the love of God is meant to flow. With this as our core ,we can readily and freely approach discovery regarding our uniqueness, strengths, and weaknesses (failures & successes)…. and live unclogged lives.

Having counseled many people, I commonly hear, “that’s just the way I am.” This is related struggle in marriage, at work, friendships, family, etc. This frustratingly reflects humanity’s identity crisis. It is sad to observe a sea of humanity forging faux identities and then using comments like this to defend or communicate their stuckness. Usually this serves us as a way to avoid facing the reality of sorely needed change. Often, it ends up that this is the way we are when we have no idea who we really are or go our own way apart from the Spirit. This is the way we are when lost, angry, unforgiving, sad, stubborn, obstinate, or bitter. Somewhere deep in that way we are is a kernel of truth and/or a strength gone wild or perverted.

I think God uses everything in us and around us to lead us to discover the royal child that lies beneath, one that does not have to make excuses, construct, defend, or pander to the whims and ways of the world or anyone one it.

Growing up in our faith means more fully embracing and living from our central identity as beloved God-assured children of the Father who are free and fearless. Acknowledging the life of Christ within, we assertively move forward in self-discovery related to our uniquenesses and strengths in order to supernaturally wield them in rhythm with God’s Spirit.