I will be the first to say I am not a tough or strong person. I have very soft feelings and am extremely sensitive. It is not hard to hurt my feelings, just ask my family. In the same sense, my sensitivity also carries over to others. I seem to have the ability to sense when others are hurting or troubled.
I think that God allows me to have that insight due to the fact that I am extremely sensitive. I do not have an overly strong or tough personality and I am actually okay with that. I do realize that sometimes my emotions can get in the way of me being able to look at things objectively. When I get my feelings hurt I have to take an inventory and question myself. Was it purposeful? Did I misinterpret what someone said? Did I say something wrong? Was there a motive behind the words that were said? I have to decide how those words or actions affect me.
Being a sensitive person can be hard and at times make you feel weak. If you don’t manage your emotions and filter them through the proper perspective, you will struggle. Trust me, because I know. That is why you have to filter the words that are said through the eyes of love. I have to make a conscious effort not to allow the sting of someone else’s words linger to the point where they can unintentionally cause me sadness and grief.
Am I always successful at this? I have to say that I am not. The truth is our words and our actions can intentionally or unintentionally be harmful. Just thinking that I may have hurt someone’s feelings can cause my heart to be unsettled. I never want to say something that would be harmful to someone else and I definitely do not want my actions to reflect that.
Unfortunately, if I am not walking closely with God, reading His Word and praying, the chances of me saying something or doing something that could be hurtful are far greater than I would ever want it to be. This also means if I am not walking closely with God my feelings can be hurt and the possibility of me misinterpreting the motive behind the words or actions is far greater.
My sensitivity can skew my perspective. Instead of listening to God and filtering what was said through Godly sensitivity, I can easily take those words and allow them to hurt my feelings and also my heart. It is a choice. I have to choose to either allow the words to hurt or allow the words to help. It’s not always an easy choice.
The Bible says in Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.” The key is to be kind. We all should be tenderhearted, full of empathy and show compassion. I have said many times please do not judge me because you have not walked in my shoes. In the same sense, I do not want to judge others. It’s hard to know what you would do in any situation unless it is YOU in that situation. Don’t judge someone – just be empathic, kind, caring and forgive others just like you have been forgiven.
When we are kind, we imitate the very life of God and His kindness to us. It is literally us being and showing Christ to others. I might be more sensitive than most people. I might be able to detect changes and needs of others better than most because of my sensitivity. My sensitivity allows me to rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. I am grateful for that ability.
I just have to guard my heart. I cannot allow my sensitivity to cause me to believe the lies of Satan, which can result in me doubting the truth, feeling anxious and hurt. At times that which is our greatest strength can also be our greatest weakness if we do not allow God to use it for His glory. I cannot change the way that God has made me. I praise God that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am grateful for my sensitive spirit.
I am not a tough person and I do not want to be a tough person. My desire is to be strong and courageous in the Lord. There are so many challenges in this life. They can overwhelm your emotions, drain you physically and mentally and even spiritually at times. Everyone needs understanding, empathy, kindness and love. Everyone!
Whether you are an extremely sensitive person or not we all have the ability and direction from God to be kind. God calls and equips us to be kind. Kind people love others. Kind people care about others. Kind people want to help and empathize with others. Kind people desire to share Jesus with others. I don’t want to be tough – I want to be strong in the Lord.
I pray that God uses my sensitivity to help others. I pray that He uses my sensitivity to show others kindness and love. I pray that God never toughens my heart but continues to strengthen my sensitivity for Him. Maybe sensitivity is not something you struggle with. Whatever it is that you struggle with God can use your weakness and turn it into a strength. He can even use your weakness and turn it into a ministry for His glory. We can rejoice in our weakness because that is right where God meets us to give us His strength and power.
I can almost promise you that I will continue to be a sensitive person. I can promise you that I will probably never “toughen up.” However, I can also say that I will strive to find my strength in the Lord, practice kindness, and show love to others. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 the Bible says “But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness. Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.”
Neither I nor you are strong enough to take on the hardships of this life. We do not have the ability to create this kind of strength on our own. God can use every situation to remind all of us that only He is the source of our strength. I can assure you that is the only way I will be considered strong and I am perfectly okay with that.
What about you? What weaknesses do you struggle with? The only way to be strong is to give God the power to make up for any and all weaknesses you have. That, my friends, is the only way I will ever be tough!
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Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. She is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
