I have been talking about the “LAWS” of personality as outlined by Dr. Dan & Kate Montgomery in the Self-Compass.www.CompassTherapy.com We talked about Love and Assertion, we now come to the third point on the compass; Weakness. Next time we will talk about Strength.
“Trouble brings with it a bucketful of emotions: despair,
hurt, revenge, self-pity, anger, sorrow, and a dozen other feelings. If we are
not careful, those feelings can dominate us and disorient us from what we know.
Emotions derail our thoughts and detour our commitments. How we feel tends to
distort what we know.” Joseph M. Stowell.
I can attest to this.This past year I had the bucket of emotions that trouble brings dumped on me. When we find ourselves in the place where our
feelings distort what we know, we risk getting stuck on the “weakness” point of
the self-compass.
Weakness can be associated with the virtue of humility
which is fine when in rhythm with the other compass points of Love, Strength
and Assertion, but if we get stuck on the weakness point we risk the manipulative
trend of becoming withdrawn, which unchecked can lead to an avoidant , schizoid
disorder. Coupled with depression from dependency it can lead to the psychoses
condition called schizophrenia depression.
People stuck on the weakness point of the self-compass
are convinced of their own helplessness. The most common feeling associated
with this withdrawn state is sadness. Pain is avoided through sleeping, procrastinating
or going around in a daze. They become hypersensitive. Preoccupied with feelings of inferiority,
panic, self – pity, fear and insecurity they avoid any kind of risk and go into
an emotional cocoon. Usually they shut down in social situations and gain
relief by being alone.
“Life is a party they can never attend”, according to Dan
Montgomery.
People stuck on the weakness point of the compass need
counselling to help them activate their strength, assertion, and love compass
points.
If you become a victim to trouble and find yourself getting
stuck on the weakness point there is hope. There is always available the
trusted resource of God’s Word. Its truth in our time of pain gives an
advantage, an edge in trouble, a unique edge to which we can cling.
Stowell says, “Our
resource in pain is not what we feel but rather what we know.” He also states, “Our
assurance is that whether in pleasure or in pain, God is able to bring about
that which is good as we respond constructively.”
“And we know that in all
things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28. NIV.
This we know,
Until next time
Blessings!
Pastor Harold
www.pastorsinnministries.com
