Strength Finding

I’d like to talk for a moment about personality or strength tests.  I had to take one when I was hired for my current job and the results were shocking.  I scored super high in one category – fact finding.  I didn’t think it was too odd…until I saw everyone else’s score.  Not only was mine high in that category, it was higher than anyone else in any category.  I came into this job with a test result that actually made the management nervous about me because of this score.  

We would be in planning meetings and they would say things like, “now don’t get caught up in the why because you’re such a fact finder.”  The reality is I like to learn and know, but it doesn’t hinder me from prioritizing or doing my job.  This test labeled me.

You can imagine my excitement when we have yet another strength finding test to do.  I had little hope in this new one after the disaster that is the Fact Finding Fiasco.  What little hope I did have quickly evaporated when the questions were:

Would you rather do homework or watch football?

Would you rather eat ice cream or drink hot cocoa?

Would you prefer to spend all your time reading or all your time playing football?

Out of 100 or so questions, I’m positive about ½ of them were about football.  Considering my choices were reading all the time or playing football all the time and I really want to say quilting, I was not excited about the future label I would receive.  I was positive it would somehow include lazy or uncoordinated!

To my complete surprise, the results were spot on:

1 – Belief – to have certain core values the cause me to be family-oriented, altruistic, spiritual and have high ethics

2 – Developer – to see the potential in others

3 – Connectedness – things happen for a reason; there is a bigger picture, even if you can’t see it

4 – Learner – getting a thrill from the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence (such a nicer way to say fact finder!)

5 – Input – being inquisitive and finding many things interesting

When I read about these strengths, I’m blown away by how much my faith comes through.  There are 35 options that I could’ve received, yet I can see very clearly that all of them are a direct result of my Christian walk.

It is no secret that the last year has been full of ways God was teaching me dependence.  I hope someday I can share, in detail, what each of these hardships were.  However, it’s been through intense hardships that I’ve learned this very basic foundation of Christianity – to have complete reliance or trust on Him. 

As I look at this list, I see confirmation that my weaknesses, while still a struggle, have also become my strengths.  I have absolutely no question in God’s plan and will for my life, even if I have no clue why I am where I am (belief and connectedness).  I praise the Lord that I can say I thirst for Him and seek His answers to my questions and choices (learner and input).  I see the result in my interactions with people, hoping to guide them to Him (developer). 

Now I feel as though I’ve been prepared for something.  I have no idea what that is, but I came out of those challenges ready for whatever He has in store for me and apparently strengthened.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”