I believe that the Lord God created this world and all that is in it.  Everything was created to be good. Initially.  Then sin entered in. I jokingly explained to my eleven-year-old daughter that hormones were created to be good, but that when Eve sinned, they became instruments used for evil.  A lot of things are that way - created for good, used for evil.  That being said, those things themselves are not always evil - only used for it.  

According to Meyers-Briggs, I am an ISFP (INTROVERT, Sensing, Feeling, Perception).  This personality type has been called "The Artist", "The Poet", "The Hippie", "The Peacemaker". This personality type is supposedly good for a relationship with any other personality type because we tend to be selfless and we enjoy encouraging others without bringing glory to ourselves.  I am not saying this in a "holier than thou" way (hahaha, not in a glory-seeking way); rather, I am just explaining that the introverted part of my personality tends to be the strongest trait and explaining what exactly it is.  

The past couple months have brought about some odd circumstances for me.  The circumstances in which I have been thrust have forced me into a spotlight.  While at a homeschooling conference, I was asked to stand in front of others and speak -into a microphone.  To be quite honest, I'd have been more comfortable if she'd have asked me to shoot myself in the foot. It is not a fear of public speaking so much as it is just not who I am.  This past week, my father (an elder at my church) told me that he needed me to add some tasks to my "job" as nursery director at our church and told me he needed me to make a sign-up sheet for him to get volunteers for Wednesday night childcare (something new we are doing).  I told him I would.  I got to church, handed him the sheet, and sat down.  At the end of announcements, he stood up and told the entire congregation that I was too scared to stand and speak so I was making him do it for me because he "overcame that fear", then informed everyone about the need for nursery volunteers.  Yep.  That happened.  As a heads-up, the way to make your introverted daughter feel comfortable surely is not to point out that she is uncomfortable in groups TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE. I seriously thought I was going to die.

How does this tie into my first paragraph?  Lately, many people have been singling out introverted people.  I have seen many posts about how introverted people can "overcome" their fear of others. Or how during greeting time at church, people say that the introverts can be excused during that time to avoid the discomfort of fellowship.  It is as if some people are viewing the personality trait of introversion as being something "wrong".  Was this personality type created by God?  Yes. Is it evil?  Well, I believe that every personality trait could be used for good or for evil, but the trait itself is good.  Take Hitler for example.  What an outstanding extrovert with amazing leadership capabilities. Can you imagine what an evangelist he could have been in the world for the furthering of God's kingdom if he'd have chosen to use his personality traits, his gifts, and abilities for God's glory rather than for evil?  

To be clear, we do not fear others, we just don't enjoy being in large groups of others.  I could talk for hours on end with hundreds of people...one on one.  I am not made for talking to hundreds of people at one time, even for three minutes.  I took speech class.  I hated it.  I made an A, but it isn't who I am.  And that is ok.  If we were all extroverts, everyone in this world would be fighting to be in the spotlight - we introverts gladly give it to those seeking it.  God did not create me to be a speaker, rather He gave me the ability to communicate ideas in a logical manner through written word.  Some writers are famous and enjoy that spotlight; I write even if no one is reading because it is who I am.  As long as I use my introverted trait  to glorify God and not myself, I feel pretty confident that I am not using it for evil nor do I feel I need to "overcome" it.