Jesus the Introvert...

Hi All!!! Not much has gone on today and we have been reading and thinking a lot of things. Thus...this might be a longer post than anticipated.

So I know that this will make 2 posts in one day, but this one is technically Saturday's since the last one was done Early Saturday morning/Late Late Friday night. Anyways, something that we discussed last night intrigued me and I really did not process it until a few hours ago. On our way to Łodz we were talking about Introverts/Extroverts. Chad was talking to his brother about this (his brother has a psychology/biblical counseling degree), and his brother said that introverts/extroverts are characterized by the way that they draw "power". Power is such a weird way of putting it so maybe a renewing of energy would be a better way of saying it. Regardless of what word to actually use, the way that an introvert would renew his/her energy is by being withdrawn from people. Whereas the extrovert feels renewed by being amongst people.

This concept at first started to make me think of what I am. Though I always claimed to be an introvert, under the definition stated above, I would technically be an extrovert. That sounds so foreign and not like me. But based on the definition it is true. I find myself renewed by being around the people that I have deep and close relationships with. This can be defined also by my longing to be around those certain people.

But what really hit me today was that based on Scripture, Jesus was an extrovert. Now I know that this may be contradictory to what you may think, and you might be saying that he was totally an extrovert since he was constantly around his disciples, apostles and the crowds. But take a closer look and you will see it differently. Usually Jesus would depart from the crowds and disciples to be secluded and to have His time. He was being renewed by the Father in his seclusion. Jesus was in the desert by himself. He would leave to go to a mountainside to pray. He even went to the Garden in Gethsemane to pray.

This is something that is still fresh in my mind and I am still trying to process it all. Maybe it is pretentious of me to assume that Jesus was an introvert. Quite possibly I could be wrong in thinking that being secluded to pray is a way to be an introvert. But at the same time, it was how Jesus renewed himself. And so the question to myself is that of; "Should I be more introverted and allowing my time with God to be my renewal instead of being around those I have deep relationships with? Should we all be introverts? Just a little something to chew on.

As I end this, we are getting ready to go to sleep. Tomorrow we have the privilege to help lead worship for Tomy church. Please be praying that in this time we are giving all glory to God and allowing Him to be praised and worshiped. Also pray for our nerves to be settled and that regardless of what happens, God reigns above all.

Also, right now I do not know if my allergies are kicking my butt or if I caught a slight cold, but if you could lift up a prayer for quick relief from this, it would be awesome!

Thanks!

Erich