“You’re too sensitive.” If you’ve heard this from time to time you may be a person with qualities and challenges that other’s don’t have. Life for you can be very rich and meaningful and at times very hard. You have a capacity to absorb the nuances of life that bring great pleasure or great pain. If you have heightened sensitivity or you have a significant relationship with someone who does, here are a couple of tools to help you capture the wealth from this bent.
1) Consider sensitivity as a gift from God.
God is sensitive. He has equipped certain people to reflect His sensitivity (Hebrews 4:15). Directed the right way, it is not a weakness. It’s a gift to feel and perceive life and people in a more personal way. This ability can bless people and bring glory to God (II Corinthians 1:3,4). Sensitive people are often creative, perceptive, and can engage with others in a deep way—three qualities that reflect our God.
2) Courageously communicate, don’t cling to initial assumptions.
Sensitive people can be easily offended. This causes internal or external conflict. Perception allows a sensitive person to see things that most miss. Yet no one can truly see another’s motives or know all the issues. Only God can. So even though bothersome issues can be perceived, we can be wrong in our assumptions. We need to do the hard work of courageous communication. Despite unpleasant feelings, we need to discover true intentions and real issues.
Apparent selfishness or thoughtlessness hurts a sensitive person. They must remember careless actions don’t necessarily indicate malice. Sensitive people can sometimes jump to those conclusions and believe they aren’t valued.
Those who have sensitive people in their lives often wrongly assume they are too fragile or too demanding. Most of the children I work with who are having a tough go in life, boys in equal number to girls, have heightened sensitivity. As they find fresh faith and practical tools for life, they are able to live well, even when it’s hard.
Thank you for helping in our ministry. You make a real difference to us and those we help.
If you’d like to understand your personality better click here (affiliate link). Understanding our unique bents helps us better relate with the people we live and work around.
You may share your thoughts here.
Blessings,
Larry Wilson
Ministry Update:
- A single parent recently experienced new faith in Christ.
- A distraught husband and father chose to live instead of taking his life.
- Our finances are tight and yet our needs continue to be met.
- October 11, 2013, Debbie will be speaking for Knowing God Ministries on Trusting God When Life Stinks. Ladies, she’d love to see you.
Larry,
Thanks for sharing this. It is easy to get overly upset about thoughtless comments.
We must keep our eyes on Jesus and not be worried/down about the way He has created and sustained us and the way some folks respond to our sensitivity.
great insights! Thanks Larry!
Insightful post! I agree wholeheartedly that sensitivity is a gift from God, one which can be used for His glory. May we then, as you wrote, “courageously communicate” without judgment. The Lord’s blessings to you and your ministry!
Very sensitive and insightful post! I have been told all my life I’m too sensitive, but the truth is we are each created as originals and those of us who are more sensitive can look at it as a negative because we seem to be told it is most often, or to embrace and accept how God created us, realizing its value.