Practicing presence

12/16/2019

I got you 7's.

1. Whatever type enneagram you identify with, we all live in a society that demands a lot from us.

Whether it is in our work place, school, home, etc, it can be easy to fall into a performance-based mindset and think that our identity is based on what we do, and how much we do.

For me, as a type seven, my passion (what my heart longs for) is gluttony. Not gluttony in terms of food consumption, but in terms of pleasure. If you're a type 7, you TOTALLY get it. Pleasure>pain always, that's our formula. But when we begin to drive our decisions and thoughts into this lifestyle, we can easily burn ourselves out and fall into exhaustion.

To get to this passion of pleasure, I find myself constantly planning. That is the Type 7 fixation: planning. Especially then I find myself in a situation that is causing me harm or pain, my immediate response is to look ahead to what's to come. It's who we are— extremely imaginative and very efficient. But the problem with this is that we don't allow ourselves to understand this paradox of complete joy in sorrow.

2. The Paradox of Joy

Like I said, because 7's avoid pain, we go straight to figuring out a solution. We are excellent problem solvers, yet so out of touch with what are heart truly desires: to feel (even the sad feelings!). By going straight to figuring out a solution, we skip over the process that allows us to grow...in skipping over that process, we also prevent ourselves from being fully present. So my challenge for you is to join me on practicing presence during this busy holiday season.

The paradox of joy is this idea that complete joy can only be found through suffering. I find this so evident in the Gospel of Mark. Mark uses this Gospel to not only explain the incredible life of Jesus, but also to reveal this Messianic Secret that allows us to realize that joy and pain actually are inseparable. The two work off each other, and us 7's trying to strip away the pain from the joy is like trying to break something whole into two; it's not complete.

3. Holy Plan>My Plan

Because when we truly practice presence, we don't get to always think ahead and plan what's next. The problem with us 7's is that our goal/plan is to constantly live a peaceful life rooted in freedom, so we plan plan plan but don't take into consideration that there is a Father looking down at us with a holy plan so much better, wiser, and joyful. In trying to create our own plan, we OURSELVES corrupt it by restricting our freedom of time. We self-handicap by saying yes to everything, and before we know it, we have booked ourselves out of our own pleasurable plan of being free, adventurous, and able to do anything we set out mind to.

Let's surrender our plans so that we can let His Holy Plan work within our hearts because his plan is always better. In my church sermon this month, a guy spoke on how God changed Paul's plans in Acts 16, and rerouted him. Instead of ignoring or procrastinating God's call, Paul acted in immediate obedience, and because of this, he was able to share the Gospel to so many incredible people and families.

Huge thanks to Ryan, songwriter from Sleeping at Last and Chris, author from The Sacred Enneagram for your inspiration and comfort in acknowledging both my strengths and weaknesses!

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