In the beginning, God created pink flamingos and orange starfish, the bitterness of grapefruit and sweetness of honey, the thrill of sex and stillness of sleep, the smell of rainstorms and sound of laughter. He created the heavens and earth, land and sea, masculine and feminine. He is a God of contrast and complements. And I believe, from the very start, he intentionally designed introverts and extroverts too.
Maybe that’s not what you’ve been told. You’ve probably heard “you’re too quiet” or “you’re too loud.” You might have been pressured to change by a boss, a peer, or even a family member. In your lowest moments, you might have even wondered if God made a mistake when he crafted you.
I’m here to tell you the opposite—you are a wonder, a miracle, the art and joy of a God who built you for moments of silence and deep thinking, for meaningful relationships and restorative work, for showing this world the power of a nurtured soul.
What proof do I have that you’re created as an introvert or extrovert? We now live in an age of technology where we can literally see into our minds. And what researchers keep finding is that introverts and extroverts are wired in unique ways. For example, we rely on different primary neurotransmitters, parts of our nervous system, and even brain pathways for processing. When God dreamed you into being, he knew you’d be an introvert or extrovert.
When we try to live as someone we’re not, we drift from God’s divine image in us. I found this out the hard way by pushing myself to the brink of burnout trying to be an extrovert because I believed that was what was required. I bent my true self into the shape I thought everyone wanted, and it broke me. It has taken years for me to heal, to come back home to who I really am, to grow quietly comfortable in my own skin. I never want anyone else to go through what I did.
“Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” (Gen. 1:31)
Look at the story of creation and know you are part of it. Look at history and know you are here for such a time as this. Look at yourself and dare to say that what God made is good.
It’s time to trade the insecurities you’ve felt for new confidence in who you’re created to be, starting right now.
Fun news: This post is an excerpt from Introvert by Design: A Guided Journal for Living with New Confidence in Who You’re Created to Be, my brand new book that released TODAY!
Free quiz: Take the one-minute quiz to see what percent introvert you are.
Extra sneak peek: I’d love to send you three chapters of my new guided journal (free!) so you can see what the inside looks like. Just enter your information here!
