Thomas à Kempis, in his classic work The Imitation of Christ wisely stated that, “Humble knowledge of thyself is a surer way to God than a deep search after learning”.
Each of us has a divine uniqueness, endowed to us by our Creator. The more we see our design, the more it points to a divine Designer.
Conversely, the more get in touch with the best version of ourselves the more we realize that we also have a self to lose. Negative patterns of thinking, sins, temptations and other aspects of our personalities that we would rather not address but if we do not, the process of sanctification (being made holy by God's grace) will be hindered. We must address the deeper disease in order to treat the prevailing symptoms.
The beauty of the Enneagram, when used as a tool for Christian spiritual formation, is that we can learn more about the self we long to find, and also the self we need to lose as we follow Christ in this life.
Throughout January, Wesley Memorial Church will be going on a journey to Find Your Design in 2021. The more we know of our strengths and weaknesses, the better able we are to serve the world around us with Christ's love.
For more resources, check out these links below:
- Online enneagram test - cost is $10. The only Enneagram inventory published by a major psychological test company with sufficient research to be reviewed in Buros’s Mental Measurements Yearbook.
- Wesley Memorial's 4 week Zoom Enneagram Class starts this Wednesday January 13th and meets every Wednesday in January from 7-8p.m.
- Email Pastor Melissa to join in the Zoom conversation.
- "Self to Lose Self to Find: A Biblical Approach to the 9 Enneagram Types" by Marilyn Vancil
- "The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective" by Richard Rohr and Andreas Ebert
- "Mirror for the Soul: A Christian Guide to the Enneagram" by Alice Fryling
