Spirit-Controlled Temperament

1. Understanding Your Temperament: The Foundation of Personal Growth

Temperament is the combination of inborn traits that subconsciously affects all our behavior.

Nature vs. nurture. Understanding temperament helps us recognize the innate traits that influence our behavior, emotions, and reactions. These traits are genetically inherited and form the foundation of our personality. However, temperament is not destiny; it can be modified through life experiences, education, and spiritual growth.

Self-awareness is key. Recognizing your temperament allows you to:

• Identify your natural strengths and weaknesses
• Understand your emotional tendencies and reactions
• Develop strategies to overcome limitations
• Enhance your relationships by understanding others' temperaments

By embracing self-knowledge, you can harness your temperament's strengths while working to mitigate its weaknesses, leading to personal growth and improved interpersonal relationships.

2. The Four Basic Temperaments: Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholy, and Phlegmatic

No one temperament is better than another. Each contains strengths and richness, yet each is fraught with its own weaknesses and dangers.

Sanguine: The Enthusiast

• Strengths: Outgoing, optimistic, enjoys life
• Weaknesses: Restless, weak-willed, emotionally unstable

Choleric: The Doer

• Strengths: Strong-willed, practical, goal-oriented
• Weaknesses: Hot-tempered, cruel, impetuous

Melancholy: The Thinker

• Strengths: Analytical, self-sacrificing, creative
• Weaknesses: Moody, self-centered, pessimistic

Phlegmatic: The Peacemaker

• Strengths: Calm, witty, diplomatic
• Weaknesses: Unmotivated, stubborn, fearful

Understanding these temperaments helps us appreciate the diversity of human personalities and recognize that each type has its own unique contributions to make in life and society.

3. Recognizing Temperament Blends: Embracing Complexity

We are all a blend of at least two temperaments: One predominates; the other is secondary.

Complexity of human nature. While the four basic temperaments provide a foundation for understanding personality, most individuals exhibit a blend of two or more temperaments. This creates a rich tapestry of personality traits that make each person unique.

Twelve common blends:

• SanChlor, SanMel, SanPhleg
• ChlorSan, ChlorMel, ChlorPhleg
• MelSan, MelChlor, MelPhleg
• PhlegSan, PhlegChlor, PhlegMel

Recognizing these blends allows for a more nuanced understanding of oneself and others. It explains why individuals with the same primary temperament may still exhibit significant differences in behavior and reactions.

4. Leveraging Temperament Strengths for Success

The variety of strengths provided by the four temperament types keeps the world functioning properly.

Harnessing natural talents. Each temperament comes with inherent strengths that can be leveraged for personal and professional success:

• Sanguines excel in people-oriented fields, sales, and entertainment
• Cholerics thrive in leadership roles, entrepreneurship, and goal-driven environments
• Melancholies shine in analytical, creative, and detail-oriented pursuits
• Phlegmatics excel in diplomatic roles, counseling, and steady, supportive positions

Complementary strengths. In teams and relationships, diverse temperaments can create a balanced and effective dynamic. For example, a Choleric's drive combined with a Melancholy's attention to detail can lead to successful project execution.

By recognizing and cultivating their natural strengths, individuals can find fulfillment and success in areas aligned with their temperament.

5. Addressing Temperament Weaknesses with Self-Awareness

We all need that kind of modification.

Identifying weaknesses. Each temperament has inherent weaknesses that can hinder personal growth and relationships:

• Sanguines struggle with consistency and follow-through
• Cholerics may be insensitive and domineering
• Melancholies tend towards pessimism and self-criticism
• Phlegmatics can be passive and unmotivated

Self-improvement strategies:

• Acknowledge weaknesses without excuses
• Develop compensatory habits and skills
• Seek feedback from others
• Practice self-reflection and mindfulness

By addressing weaknesses head-on, individuals can develop a more balanced personality and improve their overall effectiveness in life and relationships.

6. The Holy Spirit: God's Cure for Temperament Weaknesses

The Holy Spirit is able to give Christians victory over their weaknesses, as we cooperate with him.

Spiritual transformation. For Christians, the Holy Spirit offers a powerful means of overcoming temperament weaknesses. This transformation is characterized by the fruit of the Spirit:

• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-control

Steps to spiritual growth:

1. Recognize weaknesses as sin
2. Confess and repent
3. Seek the filling of the Holy Spirit
4. Walk in the Spirit daily

Through reliance on the Holy Spirit, believers can experience profound changes in their natural tendencies, leading to a more Christ-like character.

7. Overcoming Selfishness: The Root of All Weaknesses

Selfishness is the one sin that has plagued all mankind from the Fall in the Garden of Eden to the present.

The universal struggle. Selfishness lies at the heart of most human weaknesses and interpersonal conflicts. It manifests differently in each temperament:

• Sanguines seek attention and approval
• Cholerics demand control and achievement
• Melancholies focus on self-pity and criticism
• Phlegmatics indulge in passivity and resistance to change

Cultivating selflessness:

• Practice gratitude and contentment
• Develop empathy and active listening skills
• Engage in acts of service and generosity
• Seek the good of others before personal gain

By addressing selfishness, individuals can overcome many of their temperament-related weaknesses and improve their relationships and overall life satisfaction.

8. Practical Steps to Overcome Your Weaknesses

If you persist in facing your weaknesses with God's power, you will experience victory.

Action plan for change:

1. Face weaknesses as sin without excuses
2. Confess sins immediately when recognized
3. Ask God to remove negative habits
4. Believe in God's power to give victory
5. Seek the filling of the Holy Spirit
6. Walk in the Spirit daily

Persistence is key. Overcoming ingrained habits and weaknesses takes time and consistent effort. Each time you falter, repeat the steps above. With persistence, new habits will form, and old weaknesses will lose their power.

Remember that change is a process, not an event. Celebrate small victories and maintain a long-term perspective on personal growth.

9. Walking in the Spirit: The Key to Lasting Change

Walking in the Spirit is a way of life. Admittedly, it is a supernatural way of life, but it is the result of the indwelling of God's supernatural Holy Spirit.

Daily spiritual disciplines:

• Regular Bible reading and study
• Consistent prayer and communion with God
• Continuous yielding to the Holy Spirit's guidance
• Active service and ministry to others

Transformative living. Walking in the Spirit goes beyond occasional spiritual experiences. It involves a moment-by-moment reliance on God's power and guidance. This lifestyle leads to:

• Increased fruit of the Spirit in one's character
• Greater resistance to temptation and weakness
• Improved relationships and interpersonal skills
• A sense of purpose and fulfillment in life

By consistently walking in the Spirit, individuals can experience lasting change and growth, overcoming the limitations of their natural temperament and becoming more like Christ.

Last updated: October 16, 2024