Section Two: The Personal Characteristics of a Godly Life.

Our current theme: Characteristic Four: Being Christ-Actualized.                              

Our reading for today: Ephesians 4: 15-16 (MsgB)

God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.

Today, we continue working within The Heart Triad (Enneagram #2, #3, #4), looking a bit deeper at The Achiever (Enneagram #3). If you recall The Heart Triad, folks within these three personalities are generally shame-driven, seeking to soothe themselves by winning the affection of those around them.

The Achiever (sometimes also called The Performer) works very hard at winning the approval of others, so at times, it’s very apparent that these folks need the in-breaking of Jesus’ grace to bring lasting peace to their troubled souls. But sadly very few Achievers actually take the time to embrace the healing and hope that can come through this amazing God-given transformation we call being Christ-actualized.

Take a look at our overview of The Achiever (Enneagram #3) and see if any of these qualities sound like you:

THE ACHIEVER (Enneagram #3)

The Heart Triad: Feeling-oriented. feeling-driven, emotionally-centered, decisions from the heart, people-focused. When encountering life, the first reaction is to feel something. Tends to feel before doing or thinking. Shame is always waiting beneath the surface.

The strategy of #3’s is to forget about the shame while gaining the applause of others through their aggressive attempts at success and achievement.

#3’s are self-assured, attractive, and charming. Ambitious, competent, and energetic, they can also be status-conscious and highly driven for advancement. They are diplomatic and poised, but can also be overly concerned with their image and what others think of them. They typically have problems with workaholism and competitiveness. At their Best: self-accepting, authentic, everything they seem to be—role models who inspire others.

Adjectives that describe #3: Industrious, goal-focused, results-oriented, success-oriented, efficient, confident, enthusiastic, high-energy, caring through doing, ambitious, go-getter, and optimistic, but also sometimes impatient, inattentive to feelings/relationships, competitive, rushed, self-promoting, driven, and overextended.

Key Motivations: Want to be affirmed, to distinguish themselves from others, to have attention, to be admired, and to impress others.

Basic Fear: Of being worthless.

Basic Desire: To feel valuable and worthwhile.

#3 struggles with: deceit/vanity/competitiveness.

#3’s motto: I am successful, competent & effective.

#3’s response to life: Don’t waste my time with this!

#3 strives: to be outstanding.

#3 avoids: failure.

#3 unconscious childhood message: It’s not okay to have your own feelings and identity.

#3 lost childhood message: I am loved for myself.

#3 true essence: A reflection of hope and radiance.

What will it mean for a #3 The Achiever to be Christ-actualized? A mature #3 engages the life-giving intellect of a #6: loyalty, insight, and questioning. A mature #3 also engages the life-giving instincts of a #9: peace, harmony, and self-forgetfulness.

What does God’s Word have to say to a #3?

Colossians 3: 9

Ephesians 4: 15-16

Proverbs 10: 9

Zephaniah 3: 17

So, are you an Enneagram #3? Does this personality type sound a lot like the way you feel and act in life? If so, take heart. A Christ-actualized #3 can become, by the direction of the Holy Spirit, a man or woman of God who truly becomes a caring and honest servant in a world where self-promotion and deceit often prevail.  A godly #3 no longer is controlled by a need to win, but becomes a pro-active achiever who leads the way in encouraging and helping others succeed as well.

My prayer: Create in me a refuge for accepting myself, a place where I am fully known and loved. Dissolve my pretenses that diminish my genuineness. Empty me of the masks and facades, my pretenses that blind me to who I am, that keep me deceiving myself and others. Guide me deep, slow me down, open my heart, so that the great love within me flows naturally with no need to impress or support an image. Teach me to honor my fear and doubt, to remember the hesitant one within me that I push aside to keep up my impressive performing. Remind me to allow this one to have a voice in my life that I may receive her/his wisdom. Divine Lover of my being, be my foundation as I journey to my heart and express my feelings—my sadness, my anger, my delight—those emotions I hold in check to protect my image of the moment. For I am a lovable and loved being and offer gratitude for those in my life who see me real and love me. For Your name’s sake. Amen. (thanks to Sandra Smith/AlchemyWorksEvents.com)

My questions to ponder: If I see #3 qualities in my life, which are the most obvious? Where am I subject to the weaknesses found in a #3 and how might I allow the Holy Spirit to work deep within me, transforming these #3 wounds into glorious opportunities of hope?

So what is God speaking to you today as we attempt to live the Christ-centered life?

For more info: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-3/

Over a thirty-six week period, you and I will take a deeper look into twelve key characteristics of a godly life. In other words, we’ll take A Journey into Christian Discipleship. In order to keep all the blog sessions organized, we suggest you bookmark our Journey home page for ease of use. ENJOY!

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