There has been some talk about a certain post and debate about whether people are actually introverted or extroverted - if introversion is just a sin - if we should even apply such secular terms to people like objective, subjective, introverted, etc. I am sure the conversation will continue, and it should, but I realized one of the reasons I liked said post was because I related with her, but interpreted and applied her words quite differently than what was actually written. I'm trained in such matters.
That said, I did have a few thoughts about being an introvert, because I really am one, and I think it's a legitimate classification of people, though a sorry mask to hide behind.
1. Being an Introvert is not a sin
This necessitates definition of terms. If you are defining an introvert as someone who doesn't like people, only wants to be alone, and wanders about wearing skinny jeans and darkly musing upon the internal workings of the psyche, then yes, it is a sin. However, as I have learned about introversion over the years, I think the best definition of an introvert is someone who tends to be drained by people (versus being enlivened by them, which is typically true of an extrovert). They are also people who (generally) process privately and spend a lot of time working through things internally. When the fan starts blowing and stuff starts flying, they want to retreat, muse, study, write, draw, play music, whatever. Individuals like John Calvin, Martin Luther, and even David had some degree of introvertedness.
2. Pick Your Battles Wisely
That said, God consistently pushed these men into very public, social, daily, draining interaction and life-on-life battering. That is what He does with introverts...He does other things with extroverts...so the point is, recognize you tendencies and the potholes that come with them, and get over yourself. When you have three little girls climbing all over you and trying to teach you about the alphabet on a calculator and reaching new heights of verbal scale practice, your first response is retreat. Don't do it. As an introvert, tottering on the edge of social overload is NOT the time to lock your kids outside or in their rooms. It's a time to breathe, pray, and press on. Sure, you might need five minutes, and there is no shame in that, but that is only to re-engage. Die to self. Pray for grace. Pick up those weights again and keep going. It will make you stronger. You don't naturally feel inclined to play games? Feeling guilt over that inclination is silly, but not getting off the couch to pour some time into a person who wants to play Monopoly is plain selfish.
3. Do Use What God Has Given
Internal processors are great, and not just in your computer. That need to be alone can be good, as Christ exhibited, but not at the cost of others. Ask, why do you want to escape? From what? Is the fire feeling a little too hot? Maybe you are supposed to lean in. Is the race wearing you down? Maybe you need to push to the next mile marker. But sometimes, we do need the quiet. The quiet can produce amazing poetry, songs, sweet fellowship with our Lord and Savior, prayers and petitions, wisdom and insight.
As an introvert, you need to resist the temptation to waste that introspection on selfishness, sin, or wandering tales of fancy. Christ used His time to fellowship with His Father, and so must we. For an introvert, your time alone must not be self-serving, but a brief time of rest, regrouping, and refocusing to reenter the fray with grace and joy. Don't reach a breaking point mid-way through the day - wake-up early and feed your soul in the quiet of the morning with the Word and prayer. Don't fritter away school breaks or nap times with Facebook feeds, but truly use that time to refresh. Picks some weeds, sing a song, run a race, even watch a show. Introverts might need a little more time regrouping behind the lines, but it's only to fight the battle with more strength and focus.
When you come home from a tiring day and just want to collapse on the couch and turn on a show, sit down on the couch and draw a kid on your lap. When you have had too much drama and touching and chaos, pray. When all you want to do is escape from your children and have some time, ask your husband if you can have an evening out with a girlfriend....and then jump on your kids the next morning. When you have nothing left at the end of a grueling day, ask the Lord to help you give the very best to your husband. He controls all the energy of the universe. He maintains super-novas and migratory geese. A little extra energy? He's got that.
No comments:
Post a Comment