Strength and Weakness

You are at the end of a job interview. You feel good about your performance. Then they hit you with this..."Tell us what you consider to be your areas of greatest strength. Also, tell us the areas you would like to improve." 
In an interview, when you talk about your strengths, you have to make yourself look good, without saying too much. You don't want to appear full of yourself. 
And, when sharing your weaknesses, you have to figure out how to make them sound like they are actually strengths. Something like, "My greatest weakness is that I work too hard. I always give 110% percent and devote too much time to my work."
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When Kalyn and Lauren asked for people to submit questions for their weekly Coffee and Conversation link up, I thought this type of question would be perfect, especially since the goal of this link up is to find out what your favorite bloggers really have going on in life. 
Here is what I submitted:
What do you consider your two greatest strengths?  What about the areas you would like to improve?
However, even as I typed these questions, I had no idea how I would answer. But, I was curious about what others would say. How they would share their strengths and weaknesses. Would they play the interview game? I wanted to know.
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It is very difficult for me to talk about my strengths. It is so much easier to talk about my weaknesses. I wish that meant that I am humble. But, I don't think that's it. I just think that I am insecure. I would much rather stay hyper-focused on the weak areas. It's more comfortable. It's also because, once I claim something as a strength I have to own it. And, if I do that, when that thing I chose is no longer a strength, then I have failed.

This is how I feel about organization. There was a time, that whenever I was asked about my greatest strength, I would say, "I'm organized." But, something has happened to me over the past year, and although I'm still interested in having an orderly life, my ability to be organized has lessened. It is no longer one of my greatest strengths.

STRENGTH So, what do I consider my two greatest strengths? Knowledge and desire.

I am an intelligent person, which has been one of my greatest assets in life. I am a quick learner, in most things, and I can talk easily using, what some call, academic language. I have always enjoyed learning and being educated.

Lately, though, I have had desires beyond being book smart. I desire to encourage others, to be more like Jesus and to share His love. I have desired to make changes in my own life and in the world around me. These desires have become so much a part of who I am. They have changed me. And, they have brought me to this space, where I can share with you.

WEAKNESS On the flip side of these strengths are my two greatest weaknesses. Or, my areas in need of improvement. Intolerance and fear.

While I know that everyone is different, there are times when I become irritated by those differences. When a colleague has a difficult time learning from her mistakes or when a close relative doesn't spell my kids' names correctly, I get annoyed. Why can't they just get it? It frustrates me. I am working on changing this.

Fear and anxiety are huge stumbling blocks for me. I have written about them here, here and here. Fear of failure. Fear of other people's responses. Just plain fear. It hinders me, keeps me from doing and being. I look fear in the face everyday. Sometimes I win. Sometimes I don't. It's a work in progress.

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I was talking to my ten year old the other night about being the oldest child. I was sharing with her some of the struggles that come with having that position in a family. I also shared that among life's struggles, there is blessing. We can find strength in our weaknesses, because that is how God designed it. Without failure, hardship, and life's battles, we would not as easily recognize our need for Him.

Yes, it's easier for me to talk about my weaknesses because of the reasons I mentioned above. But, also because in those weaknesses there is the opportunity for change. There is the opportunity for God to work, to transform me.

How are you letting God transform you?

That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

- 2 Corinthians 12:10 (NLT)

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