As you allow God to renew your soul, your personality becomes a vessel for His goodness in the world.
Years ago, as a new Christian, one thing that stood out to me was the number of Bible verses that talked about loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37). We are to love God with everything that we are. Being made in God’s image, we are three-part beings—body, soul, and spirit. Each part plays a role in how we relate to God, ourselves, and others. Our spirits are made new (Ezekiel 36:26) the moment we put our faith in Jesus, but our souls, the place where our minds, wills, and emotions live, are in a process of renewal. And here’s something important to understand: our personality (thinking, feeling, and doing) resides in our soul.
When you begin to see your personality in the way God designed it, you gain insight into what makes you think, feel, and act the way you do. There are personality tools available to help you understand these patterns. It can shine a light on the places where your soul may be operating from fear or insecurity rather than from the truth of who you are in Christ. The more you align your thoughts, emotions, and actions with God’s truth, the more your personality can reflect His love, wisdom, and grace.
Are You Reflecting the Spirit or the Flesh?
Your soul is like a mirror; it reflects whatever you set your mind on. Romans 8:5-6 reminds us, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”
Your personality can be influenced by either God’s Spirit or by old patterns shaped by sin and brokenness. If your mind is focused on fear, control, or self-protection, your personality will reflect those things in how you relate to the world. But when you fix your mind on God’s truth, your soul begins to reflect who you are and what you have as God’s child—His peace, love, and freedom.
Renew Your Mind with Biblical Truth
Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” This renewal happens as you replace old thought patterns and beliefs with God’s truth. As a Christian Life Coach, I use various tools to help you see where your personality naturally gravitates toward unhealthy tendencies, and with that awareness, you can begin to shift your thoughts and behaviors in a way that aligns with who you are in Christ.
For example, if you’re someone who struggles with people-pleasing, you might see how this pattern is tied to a fear of rejection. Instead of continuing to operate from that place, you can begin to renew your mind with the truth that your worth isn’t found in the approval of others but in being a very loved child of God. As you grow in this truth, your personality will naturally begin to express more confidence in who you are.
If your personality tends to withdraw or zone out when emotions feel overwhelming or conflicts arise, you might uncover a belief that your feelings are too much or that you can’t be vulnerable. You can renew your mind with the truth that God sees you, will never leave you, and cares deeply about you (1 Peter 5:7). Over time, your actions can align with this biblical truth to help you move forward in connection, rather than withdrawing to isolate.
Your Personality and the Fruit of the Spirit
Your personality isn’t something to fix—it’s something to refine. When your soul is aligned with God’s truth, your personality becomes a beautiful expression of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
For example, each personality type reflects God’s character in its own unique way. God’s goodness, love, hope, creativity, wisdom, faithfulness, joy, strength, and peace show up in our personalities. While we can reflect all of the fruits of the Spirit, each personality type reflects one of these characteristics more than the others.
Whatever your personality type is, you have the ability to walk in love and patience rather than fear and frustration. You can develop kindness and self-control, even in areas where you’ve struggled before. As you allow God to renew your soul, your personality becomes a vessel for His goodness in the world.
Personal Growth Through Personality
As you learn what makes you think, feel, and do the things you do, it’s not about labeling yourself as a particular personality type. It’s about self-awareness and understanding yourself so you can grow. It helps you recognize the fears, desires, and patterns that shape your personality so you can make intentional choices to walk in freedom rather than functioning on autopilot.
Learning about your personality through a biblical lens can help you:
-Identify the fears and desires that drive your behavior.
-Recognize unhealthy patterns and learn where growth needs to occur.
-Extend grace to yourself and others.
-Align your thoughts, emotions, and actions with God’s truth.
-Develop self-awareness in relationships and how you interact with others.
The more you engage in this process, the more your personality expresses Christ’s life in you, reflecting who He created you to be.
Embracing Your Design
Your personality is not something to be ashamed of; it’s a gift. God designed you with unique strengths, perspectives, and ways of relating to the world. As you understand that you are a three part being, body, soul, and spirit, you begin to see just how wonderfully connected everything is. When your soul is renewed in Him, your personality can shine as a reflection of His image.
Understanding your soul as part of your personality gives you the opportunity to live with greater awareness and intention. Instead of being driven by fear, insecurity, or unhealthy desires, you can walk in the freedom of knowing who you are in Christ.
While your soul reflects your unique personality, it's important to remember that as a believer, your identity is rooted in your spirit, which is made new in Christ (Ezekiel 36:26). Your soul can be influenced by the Spirit, allowing your personality to express the love, joy, and peace that come from your relationship with God.
You are God’s beloved child and are being renewed day by day as you walk out His life in you. Your personality, when aligned with His truth, is a powerful reflection of His grace and goodness in the world.
Embracing your God-given design isn’t about putting a label on yourself. It’s about uncovering how God wired you and trusting Him for transformation. When you become aware of your personality as part of your soul, you’re better equipped to walk in freedom and extend grace to yourself.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/ Getty Images Plus/ASIFE
Renee Bethel, author of Finding Me: A Woman’s Guide to Learning More About Herself, is a Professional Christian Life Coach and a Certified Enneagram Coach. Her passion is guiding growth-minded Christian women to step into their God-given identity so they can live more authentically and confidently in the freedom of who they are in Christ. If you're ready to change how you view yourself and learn how God sees you, request her resource, Who am I - from God’s Perspective?
