Introversion and
extroversion--descriptors of personality--- are two topics I've been interested
in for almost 10 years. Here’s a brief summary of the two: generally introverts gain energy while alone and lose it around people, while extroverts gain energy around
people but lose energy alone. Now some people don't fit neatly into either
introversion or extroversion and are called ambiverts, but for the most part
people fall into either one or the other as their dominant preference for
living.
I've always been a quiet person and people
have labeled me as shy throughout my childhood; but it wasn't until high-school
that I began to challenge the notion that I was shy. I realized I wasn't afraid
or nervous around people....I was just...tired. I couldn't understand why it
felt like such work to talk to people. I started to research and discovered an
article in the Atlantic Monthly about introversion called "Caring for your
Introvert". As I read it I met myself for the first time. My mind blazed
with understanding and color. I read "Introverts are not necessarily
shy.....Extroverts are energized by people, and wilt or fade when alone....In
contrast, after an hour or two of being socially "on," we introverts
need to turn off and recharge." This was me. I finally knew me---there
wasn't anything wrong with me. For a 15 year old, the finding of herself and
knowing she was normal, was healing balm of it's own. This led to me buying a
book and learning all about introversion and consequently myself.
The Depths of Self
As I've
grown as a person and experienced life my understanding of introversion has
deepened substantially. I've learned of the spiritual component. In college my
worldview changed and I personally experienced for myself that God is real. I discovered the
meaning of life and a narrative that explained and held together, loose pieces
of knowledge and observation that I saw in science, psychology, myself and
people around me. Through science, I knew how things were the way they were but
not why. Christianity made the world make sense and be
coherent. Consequently, I've seen the origins of personality in God himself,
for Genesis declares that human beings have been created in the image of God.
According to Christianity God is a three part being, composed of 3 persons who
are distinct yet one in deity. God is 3 in one, made up the Father, the Son and
Holy Spirit. God is a deeply interior being—with a rich inner life. Introversion
reflects the independence, the introspection and the oneness of God. On the
other hand as a Trinity, God is a holy society. Extroversion reflects God’s
relationship with the other member of himself. Introversion and extroversion are
both pictures of the inward and outward
movements of God.
The Greatest Gift
At times I've struggled with being an introvert, especially
when it comes to balancing my unique energy needs with my desire to be around
people. 1 hour of being around people can wipe me out for several hours physically.
Was this a curse or gift? My
Christianity has helped me see it as a gift. A Christian introvert spends time
not just alone, but with God. And the thing about God is unlike people, he
doesn't drain you. In fact he restores you. In the beloved Psalm 23, King David
writes "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in
green pastures. He restores my soul". God as Maker and Shepherd restores the soul of both the
introvert and extrovert.
I’ve a fairly
draining job as a teacher---though I enjoy teaching---and so after a day of
work I’m pretty exhausted. However, I learned stilling myself before God,
listening to gentle worship music, can work wonders in replenishing me. Solitude
with God is the greatest gift of introversion. Perhaps it’s a bit more difficult
for extroverts to be alone with God often----I have talked to a couple of
extroverts who’ve said this is the case. The flip side of this is that
extroverts have an advantage when it comes to socializing with other Christians
and non-Christians alike. It’s easier for them to go into all the world and
make disciples. Yet no matter if we are introverts or extroverts God call us
equally to spend time alone with him AND to witness in the world. We may have
to work harder in our area of weakness but if we are dependent on God and
understanding of each other, our weaknesses aren’t curses, but blessings in
disguise. In the time to come, I look
forward to learning more about personality and know that with God, there’s more
meaning behind things than I’ve ever imagined.
