Spiritual Addition and Subtraction

As Dr. Miller reflected on the kinds of spiritual practices that are most helpful to each of us as individuals, he divided them into two categories. First, he mentioned practices that help us become more of who we are supposed to be. Second, there are practices that help us become less of what we are not supposed to be. You might say that some spiritual practices facilitate addition, and others facilitate subtraction.

Spiritual Addition: Becoming More of Who We Are Meant To Be

There is sometimes a correlation between our natural inclinations/strengths and spiritual practices that God can use to make us more like him and to advance the kingdom of God. As an example, Dr. Miller mentions his extroversion as a tool that God can multiply to build community. Since God has created him to gain energy in connection with people, spiritual practices that involving leaning into being around people are an obvious path toward spiritual growth.

There are any number of approaches to personalities and strengths. Perhaps you have of CliftonStrengths or the Myers-Briggs personality inventory. Some people have found the Enneagram approach helpful. The purpose of such tests is to describe who you are, not to lock you in or become a self-fulfilling prophecy or box to live in.

However, at their best, they just might tell you a little about who you are. When they work best, you leave their analysis with a smile saying, “Yep, that’s me.”

Using the categories of Myers-Briggs, are you an extrovert who loves to be around people? That’s a strength God can use to build community or reach people! Do you have a gift at seeing the big picture? God can use you to shape and promote vision. Are you good with concrete details? God can use you to make a real world difference.

Do you highly value logic? God can use you to make hard decisions. Do you value people more? God can use you to help save the world one person at a time. Are you open to new ideas? God can use you to bring needed change? Do you like structure more? God can use you to make things happen.

We could just as easily apply the insights of the Enneagram or StrengthsFinder. Are you a Reformer, a Challenger, an Achiever? God can use you to bring change and justice. Are you an Enthusiast, a Peacemaker, or a Helper? God can use you to bring faith, hope, and love to the world. 

Are you good at achieving things, arranging things, giving context, holding firm to your beliefs, wooing people? Whatever your strengths may be, God wants you to give them to him and let him use them for his glory.

Spiritual Subtraction: Shedding What We Aren’t Meant To Be

However, spiritual growth isn’t just about addition. It is equally about subtraction, eliminating behaviors and mindsets incongruent with our true selves. For instance, the shadow side of extroversion might lead one to seek company to the exclusion of essential spiritual practices like solitude or introspection. You can rely too much on others for spiritual sustenance and become anemic at direct dependence on God.

On the other hand, if you recognize a tendency toward individualism, it is vital to engage in spiritual practices that challenge spiraling into narcissism. You may believe in love and generosity, but do you actually get out and do it? Subtraction, in this sense, is about identifying and eradicating barriers to authentic spiritual growth.

Most approaches to personality recognize weaknesses that correspond to one’s strengths. In the Myers-Briggs approach, it is called the “inferior function.” If seeing the big picture is a real strength, you may be weak at details. You might recognize the need for time with God but do you actually set concrete time aside? If you highly value logic, do you ever fail to love the people you are being logical with? If you highly value people, do you sometimes end up hurting them because you cannot make hard decisions?

The Enneagram similarly connects dominant personality types with other types under stress and under growth. For example, an Enthusiast can grow by becoming more of an Investigator. After all, a potential weakness for an enthusiastic person is that they don’t have the details straight or do not have a tactical plan for good things to happen. Growing in the area of investigation is like a worthy addition to them as a spiritual practice. 

By the same token, an Enthusiast can devolve into a grumpy version of a Reformer under stress. This is where “spiritual subtraction” may be necessary, when failed dreams and visions can devolve into a critical spirit.

One of the great insights of the Clifton Strengths assessment is that we most effectively focus on growing our strengths. It takes far less effort for our strengths to become super-strengths than for us to make our weaknesses into strengths. They therefore advise us to maximize our strengths but manage our weaknesses. In Dr. Miller’s terms, we ask God to use spiritual practices to grow our spiritual strengths while asking the Spirit to use spiritual practices to help us manage our spiritual weaknesses.