Spiritual Temperament Traits Myra Perrine’s What’s Your God Language? excerpts follow. Spiritual Temperament and God
Personality test results of Meow D
Contemplatives: “Loving God Through Adoration” Contemplatives enjoy spending extended periods of time simply delighting in the warmth of God’s presence and love. All of life is about developing greater intimacy with Jesus. Contemplatives feel right at home with spiritual mystery. “Contemplatives are often the ones who compose heart-stirring songs or write deeply insightful books about God.” Immature leaders usually think that contemplatives are wasting time with all their deep thinking. “Get busy!” they want to say. “There’s a mountain to climb.”Let’s go.’ But mature leaders understand that contemplatives need to spend considerable time outside the mainstream. They need to protect their thought life. Eventually, their reflections will lead to something wonderful that will bless the whole church. Leaders whose primary pathway is contemplative need to give themselves an extra measure of grace. They need to give themselves permission to spend long hours in quiet reflection, even if others view it as inappropriate or strange, because for them, that’s the door that opens into the presence of God.
* Biblical Examples: John the Beloved; Mary of Bethany (Luke 10:38–42; John 7:1–7); Jesus (Mat. 3:17; John 17:23–26)
* “Contemplatives are passionate lovers of God.”
* “Contemplatives astound us with their freedom to draw close and experience the God who comes near (see Psalm 34:18), receiving the affection of the One whose love is better than wine (see Song of Songs 1:2).”
* “If you are a contemplative, thank God now for the gift he has given you of displaying His heart of affection and nearness to a world that thinks of Him as cold and distant.” Thank him, too, for the gift you are to him and to others.
