Some dear friends introduced me to the ENNEAGRAM and I’m learning a lot about myself. I’m learning about what motivates me and why I do the things I do. It’s helped give a “name” to things and helps me correct certain behaviors.
Enneagram in the Greek language simply is Ennea=9, Gram=Diagram. The Enneagram is a 9 point star. The numbers are just a classification. A 2 is no less important than a 9. At first look, the diagram looks kinda freaky. As Christians, sometimes we can allow our fears of the unknown to “turn us off”. The Lord created us in His image. When you put the Enneagram, with Christ at the center, it becomes this amazing tool to help build relationships and show more compassion and grace. The Enneagram is a helpful tool, but it’s the gospel of Christ that transforms lives!
Now, I’m no expert on the Enneagram, but I love this tool. I have always found the brain and psychology interesting. The Enneagram gives us freedom to see ourselves. I loved that someone out there “got me”. That I wasn’t some weirdo that no one could understand.
The enneagram helps us with personal growth and all of our relationships. Since discovering this amazing tool I have helped my little family of 4 discover their numbers and I have to tell you, I have had so much more compassion and understanding on how they view things. Things that used to frustrate me about them, I now can see, “you are a 5, so you aren’t rejecting me, you just need a minute to yourself.” Or, “why can’t you just make a decision?”, I can now give patience and understanding knowing that my S, as a 9, is just trying to avoid conflict by letting everyone else decide. I’ve learned different ways to talk to each of them and help them with their own growth and by making them aware that I see the situation differently. It helps us move from being reactive to simply responding.
Since hearing about the enneagram, I discovered that I am a 2. In being a 2, “the helper”, also know as the “supportive advisor”, I don’t like to share my feelings. I am very people focused. I desire and thrive when I can listen, empathize and help others. I would much rather let you talk. You don’t need to hear about my problems. I feel the worst when I feel like I’ve let someone down. I desire a feeling of being wanted and needed. This doesn’t mean that all 2’s act alike. An “unhealthy 2 vs a healthy 2” will behave differently. We have our own environments, people, events that shape the person that we are. The thing that makes 2’s the same, is our core desires and core fears. How awesome is it to know that we are all so different, yet so similar!
The Lord INTENTIONALLY created us to have different personalities. He created us with these different personalities to be used for Him and to the things that He wants accomplished on this earth. If I’m going to be the best person that I can be FOR HIM, then I need to understand myself and why I do the things that I do. He needs me…scratch that….He doesn’t NEED me to do anything, He can use anybody to reach “Suzy Homemaker” but He may WANT me to be the one to reach out to her. He invites me in to do His will. He will use me where He wants me and I need to be the best and the healthiest person that I can be for Him.
How do I become the most healthy version of me? It starts with understanding who I am. Who am I inside? What makes me tick? What makes me do the things I do? Why do I behave this way? I have to pair that with who I am in Christ and how much He loves me and how much I matter to Him.
How can my identity in Him be used for His glory? Using the Enneagram tool to discover our “core longing”, we can stop trying to get that from others and recognize that we can only get that from Christ. This is where the freedom comes from! This where we can say, “yes, I have imperfections, but I have freedom in Him”!
When we use the Enneagram to learn about ourselves and learn about others we are going to create a more grace filled life. It gives us such a compassion in the way we see others and takes away the judgmental heart. It shows us that the way we view the world is not the way others view it.
Want to learn more about the Enneagram with the biblical perspective? Start here.
https://www.yourenneagramcoach.com/types
Cowles Farm 