ABCDEFGH- INFP

One test. 16 outcomes. 6.something billion people. Well, that can't be right. Surely God created more than 16 different personalities. Heck, some people have 16 personalities all to themselves.

What am I talking about? Well, the Myers-Briggs Test, of course. You take a test. If you're honest with yourself and don't try to cheat the test, you get four letters assigned to you. Not just any four letters, mind you. You get one from each E/I, S/N, T/F, and J/P. Each letter holds its own meaning, and when you group them together, you get a whole range of possibilities.

There are tons of tests with tons of outcomes ranging from assigned letters, colors, and even animals. While they are all limited, personality tests as a whole show the limitless nature of God. It's beautiful and at the same time sad. It's sad because  people trying to typecast other people is the same way we try to typecast God.

Though we are finite and He is not, we are images of God. We are but shadows, but we have far more to us than the boxes people put us in. I'm not giving people the credit for our minds, creativity, and the like. That's all God. I wonder if we stop trying to stamp others with a four letter zip code and open our minds to the ranges and scales within those letters (or colors, etc) then maybe we'll begin to see a little of the wonder that is God.

I like the Myers-Briggs test. I am quite fond of it, actually. I like my four letters. I used to feel restricted or limited because of them. If you take a full-blown MB test, you'll realize that it is quite extensive. It's still limited, but it allows for the range of a person's personality to shine.

Very rarely does someone's personality actually change. People rarely go from being truly introverted to extroverted or vice versa. It usually takes a tragedy or being involved in some truly life altering event to change a personality. (I know that God can change a person, but I'll get to that.)

I think that if you're introverted; you're introverted. There's nothing to be ashamed of or angry at. It doesn't mean that you're shy (though introverts are the shy ones if there are shy folk around). It doesn't mean that you hate being around people. It doesn't mean that you freak out when public speaking. It means that you get your energy from being alone. I'm an introvert. I love people. I love being around people and speaking to and in front of people. However, too many people for too long makes me tired. I need alone time every now and again to regroup.

God wires us all differently and for His purpose. He gives us strengths and weaknesses. Before I was saved, I believe that the core of my personality was the same as it now. There are things that were changed within me like how I react to people or situations. I'm still a big daydreamer, but the things I dream about are (mostly) different. Before God saved me, I dreamed of all the wonderful places I could go. I still do that, but I usually have an underlying desire to teach people about Him.

I'm still introverted, but I am not as selfish with my time as I once was. Sure, it makes me tired, but I know that Jesus is my resting place.

You may disagree with me, and that is perfectly fine. I do hope we all agree that people cannot strictly be defined by one set of letters, colors, or animals. Like the vast nebulas in the reaches of the universe, so are the possibilities of personalities God creates for His good use.