Think You’re a Melancholy? Try This Quiz!

Think You’re a Melancholy?
Try This Quiz!

 

• You’re happy when everything around you is in order. 
• You’re quiet, serious, and analytical.
• You’re content to stay in the background making sure everything is running according to plan.
• You feel most secure in a structured environment, both at church and in your own devotional life.
• You can be suspicious of new ideas and ways of doing things.
• You hide deep emotions and frequently struggle with negative thoughts about yourself and life. 

Other traits that describe a Melancholy are:

• caring,
• artistic,
• intellectually curious,
• highly conscientious,
• detail oriented, and
• reliable.

Do you perhaps identify with my friend, Jen, a Melancholy, who looks forward to church every Sunday? 

She likes the familiarity of people she knows.

Music that stirs her emotions, and

Sermons that give her mind something to chew on. 

In fact, she gets positively energized whenever her Pastor explains the original meaning of key words, which he does every week.

“I love discovering more about God and get excited studying the Bible,” said Jen.  “I mean, who wouldn’t get a thrill when they learn how amazing God is?”

Jen wants study guides that demand something from her. She likes checking cross-references and tracing words from their first mention in Scripture to the last.  Studies that ask simple questions and give the answers aren’t for her!
 

The detailed structure that drives the Sanguine to despair is the delight of Melancholies.  In fact, I’m convinced that Melancholies produce most of the Bible study material that Sanguines wrestle with! 

BUT Jen has struggles, like all personality types.

“Even though I get so much from studying the Bible and I know it says that God loves me,” continued Jen, “it’s hard for me to feel loved.

“If I miss my daily devotions, I wrestle with guilt all day.  I tend to dwell on what I’m not doing—praying without ceasing, rejoicing always, forgetting what is past, or loving others sincerely—in other words, being PERFECT! So, naturally, I go around feeling like a failure.”

Jen knows that God’s grace covers all her weaknesses, but she can’t seem to break the habit of beating herself up.

Recognize yourself?

God never intended any of those He loves and fills with His Spirit to live with this kind of guilt. Romans 8:1.

Check out the next blog in this series and discover how to throw off condemnation and live with the joy God wants for you! 
 
Blessings,
Poppy