The Strength in the Weakness

So this blog will have little to do with my life here in Santo Domingo, but more of my thoughts or insights while being here. Being in a new place, really has forced me to assess myself as I react to new stimuli, see what strengths and weaknesses I have and something I've stumbled upon has really proven to be an eye opener in how I view myself and how I view others.

Our weaknesses and our strengths are in fact the exact same thing. The thing you love most about yourself or your best friend is the exact same trait that you hate most.  I truly believe that God  gifts us with a  specific trait that mirrors His own heart , but as we are human we don't have the same control over these gifts and so often struggle to maintain these Godly traits in our own imperfect souls.

For example, some people are born leaders, they take charge of situations and find solutions to problems. This is a God given gift, yet this amazing trait can also come across as pushy, bossy or aggressive. People who are easy going and take life one step at a time can be seen as passive or unable to make decisions. Also, people who are empathetic and are good at reading other people, often are seen as overly emotional.

This has been a big insight because I've realized that when we view the weaknesses of ourselves and others through the lens that this is God's gift, we are able to appreciate it more and also learn to control and change the behavior. The source of our greatest weaknesses is in fact controlling the great strengths that God has gifted us with. For example, thinking in retrospect, my greatest strength is that I have a super strong conscience which makes me trustworthy and honest to a fault. My greatest weakness is the fact that I have a super strong conscience which makes me judgemental, over think nearly everything and feel guilty when I don't need to.

When you think about yourself, your students, your coworkers, your spouses, your best friends and even the people who drive you up a wall, I challenge you to find the gift and then I promise you will view them  and yourself in a whole different way.

"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." -1 Corinthians 12:7