Blind Spots, Superpowers, and What God Sees
Most of us have a vague sense that we’re good at some things and bad at others — but we never slow down long enough to figure out what that actually means. We either ignore our strengths out of false humility, or we get blindsided by weaknesses we never saw coming. Sound familiar?
In this episode of the Everyday Disciple Podcast, we’re going to dig into how to discover your God-given strengths — and honestly face the blind spots that could trip you up. This isn’t a personality quiz detour. It’s an invitation to know yourself the way God already knows you.
In This Episode You’ll Learn:
- Why knowing your strengths is an act of worship, not pride
- The dangerous blind spots that quietly take people down
- A practical self-assessment process guided by the Holy Spirit
- How your superpower is meant for God’s glory, not just your resume
From this episode:
“Start with some honest self-assessment. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to identify any areas of your life and character that he would have you be more aware of. Write these down and pray over them for three days.”
Each week the Big 3 will give you immediate action steps to get you started.
Download today’s BIG 3 right now. Read and think over them again later. You might even want to share them with others…
Thanks for Listening!
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Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
Coaching and Mentorship in Missional Living by Caesar and his wife Tina
Resources for missional living and group training – Missio Publishing
Get Caesar’s latest book: Bigger Gospel for FREE… Click here.
Transcript
The subject line of the email is, I'd love to get your opinion.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:And just get ready for this.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:He goes, dear, family, friends, and colleagues, or, I think you could do it like you know the person's name.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Like give duty 20.
Speaker:Thanks for reading this email.
Speaker:It's not an easy one for me to send, but it's extremely important to me, so I sincerely appreciate you investing your valuable time reading, and hopefully responding to it.
Speaker:This email's going out only to a select group of people.
Speaker:Each of you knows me really well.
Speaker:Or you spend a lot of time with me, and I'm hoping you'll give me honest feedback about my strengths and most importantly my weaknesses, huh?
Speaker:AKA areas of improvement.
Speaker:I feel like for me to grow and improve as a person, I need to get a more accurate picture of how I'm showing up to the people that matter most to me, while I'm always open to feedback.
Speaker:This is very different from actively seeking feedback.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:And in, in order to become a person, I need to be, to create the life and contribute to others in the ways I want, the levels I want.
Speaker:I need your feedback.
Speaker:So all I'm asking is that you take just a few minutes to email me back with what you honestly think are my top two or three areas of improvement.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:Wow.
Speaker:Ouch.
Speaker:Right.
Speaker:And if, and if it makes you feel better, you know, to also list two or three of my strengths, I'm sure that'll help me feel better.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It can also do that.
Speaker:You're welcome to do both.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:That's it.
Speaker:Please don't sugarcoat it or hold anything back.
Speaker:I'll not be offended by anything that you share.
Speaker:In fact, the more brutally honest you are, the more leverage it'll give me to make positive changes in my life.
Speaker:Huh?
Speaker:Thank you again.
Speaker:If there's anything else I can do to add value to your life, please let me know with gratitude.
Speaker:Isn't that crazy, man?
Speaker:It's
Speaker:amazing.
Speaker:Welcome to the Everyday Disciple Podcast, where you'll learn how to live with greater intentionality and an integrated faith that naturally fits into every area of life.
Speaker:In other words, discipleship as a lifestyle.
Speaker:This is the stuff your parents, pastors and seminary professors probably forgot to tell you.
Speaker:And now here's your host, Caesar Kalinowski,
Speaker:bababa Bombs, superpowers.
Speaker:If you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be?
Speaker:Um, great question.
Speaker:I think it would.
Speaker:Invisible.
Speaker:Yeah, that'd be a cool one.
Speaker:That'd be a good one.
Speaker:If I could just, just be everywhere and sit in a room and no one knows it.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:I think also if you were invisible, you could probably like Rob lots of stuff.
Speaker:I saw
Speaker:that.
Speaker:Be in a room and get some information.
Speaker:Then later, like, you know, go betting at the trek.
Speaker:I don't know, I I, I just saw, I just saw the New Oceans movie, so I'm, I'm thinking I'm like a criminal all of a sudden in my mind I'm like, I should be way more spiritual.
Speaker:I feel like time travel would be cool.
Speaker:And I also feel like,
Speaker:is that a superpower or is that a science?
Speaker:I just kind of made that one up.
Speaker:I like it.
Speaker:And then I felt like having like perfect depth perception would be kind of a cool thing.
Speaker:Exactly.
Speaker:You knew exactly how far Steph
Speaker:was.
Speaker:Yes.
Speaker:I'm wearing glasses.
Speaker:Um, so what, what was, what was your favorite superhero growing up?
Speaker:So, to be honest, I, that was never a world I was in.
Speaker:I like, I've never seen,
Speaker:you don't, you don't have like a
Speaker:Uhuh
Speaker:say For me it was, it was several, but like, I would've to say like premium,
Speaker:yeah.
Speaker:Premier Spider-Man.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Like I was, I just, in my mind I was like, I'm Spider-Man.
Speaker:Huh.
Speaker:And I wish I could climb things and shoot the webs and all that.
Speaker:And I, I just, it's still, it's too amazing.
Speaker:And when they fi and I have all my old Spider-Man comic books.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:When I was a kid, don't ask me how I saved them.
Speaker:That's amazing.
Speaker:They're all on boards and plastic and some of 'em are in primo shape and some of 'em were like all rolled up in my back pocket riding my stingray around the neighborhood, you know.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:And, but I have 'em all in boxes.
Speaker:Probably worth a lot of money actually.
Speaker:Oh, I'm sure.
Speaker:And, um, when they finally started making Spider-Man movies, I was like, chuffed.
Speaker:'cause it's still, it's there.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:No, I never, I I wish I would've gotten into that world.
Speaker:Our, our friend William Turbeville is always on me.
Speaker:'cause he is like, have you seen this new movie?
Speaker:Or,
Speaker:oh, he's Mr. Superhero.
Speaker:I fell asleep during the Avengers in the theater.
Speaker:Like that is embarrassing.
Speaker:Wow.
Speaker:You gotta repent.
Speaker:I know, man.
Speaker:Rep that it's my idol that there might be an idol on another.
Speaker:Alright, well we're gonna get into all that today.
Speaker:We're gonna help people figure out what their superpower is.
Speaker:'cause everybody has awesomeness in their life and skills and things They do amazingly, but they also have stuff that can take 'em outta the game.
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:So we'll talk about all that.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Well, let's jump in first with the review that we appreciate from this week.
Speaker:Garage Church says that.
Speaker:This podcast,
Speaker:yeah.
Speaker:I look at this note.
Speaker:I thought it said Garbage Church.
Speaker:So
Speaker:I thought the same thing.
Speaker:Initially.
Speaker:No Garage Church,
Speaker:no offense to Garage Church, but I have a friend that started a church called Dope Church.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So I thought, well, maybe there's a gar.
Speaker:Oh, that's Garage.
Speaker:Sorry.
Speaker:Oops.
Speaker:Garage Church says this podcast is extremely relevant and practical.
Speaker:The topics are always interesting.
Speaker:The presentation is done in a fun and engaging way.
Speaker:So thanks Garage Church.
Speaker:Boom.
Speaker:Pow.
Speaker:Love that.
Speaker:Get some of those sound effects today and then in, yeah.
Speaker:Um, okay, so we talked a little bit about what superheroes we loved and wanted to be as kids.
Speaker:I didn't have any.
Speaker:Yeah, you were, you were Spider-Man.
Speaker:You gotta work on one.
Speaker:I know.
Speaker:I need to.
Speaker:I'm, I,
Speaker:they're all sort of like types of Christ, by the way.
Speaker:No,
Speaker:that's the people would tell you that, you know, it's sort.
Speaker:My superhero is Jesus.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Uh, but you know, in real life, we do all have our superpowers, the things that we're really, really good at.
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:But we also have things that are kind of like our kryptonite and can take us outta ministry or open us up to peril in life.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:Right?
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:So that's true.
Speaker:And, and I think that maybe even, especially as Christians, we don't like to talk about the things we're good at.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:You know?
Speaker:Um, but, um, I. I think that everybody is, I think that we're all born with gifts.
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:I think that we're good at stuff.
Speaker:People work hard to, you know, grow and skill.
Speaker:Um, I wasn't born a guitar player, but I became a very good one.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Not so much anymore 'cause I lost that superpower.
Speaker:Um, but there's, everybody's got things that they're really, really good at, at life.
Speaker:At least a handful.
Speaker:And I, I hope everybody listening if you feel like No, there's nothing I'm that good at.
Speaker:I bet there is.
Speaker:I really do.
Speaker:But, um.
Speaker:We don't often identify them so that we know that like that's how I'm gonna use my gift within community or within my family, or it's okay to acknowledge that.
Speaker:Like maybe, Hey, Heath, you're better at that than me.
Speaker:And so, you know what's gonna be a blessing to the family and all of our friends and community Is you doing that?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Because we're all gonna like, learn from that and get blessed by it.
Speaker:It's like my wife, one of her superpowers, hospitality,
Speaker:she's a rock star,
Speaker:right?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Superpower.
Speaker:Like it's absolutely, it's beyond, but she's actually learned it and worked hard at it, so.
Speaker:It's good knowing that and it's not a foul thing or it's not a prideful thing to say Tina superpower, you know what I mean?
Speaker:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker:And she knows it right now.
Speaker:She's not out ing it and running, you know, Facebook ads to tell everybody how awesome
Speaker:tattoo.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So
Speaker:that's
Speaker:good.
Speaker:But what we don't often do either is um, we don't like to.
Speaker:Think about the other thing.
Speaker:What is, what's your kryptonite?
Speaker:In other words, like for those who are, like you, Heath, unfortunately, who did not grow up paying any attention to the important things like superheroes.
Speaker:Um, kryptonite is a space rock.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:It has some sort of, I don't know, magnetism or weird super, uh, power of its own as a rock.
Speaker:And when Superman comes near it, it like takes all his superpowers away.
Speaker:So he's like normal.
Speaker:Apparently even weaker.
Speaker:And so that's his thing.
Speaker:He can do anything perfectly unless there's this rock, you know, in his life.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So we, we also have, not our superpowers, but we have these things in our life and many people are not self enough, you know, self-aware enough to get after 'em and figure out what are those things in life.
Speaker:And that, um, could take me out.
Speaker:Like they could take me out of ministry.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:They could ruin my marriage.
Speaker:They could ruin this relationship.
Speaker:They could ruin my job.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:My character, you know?
Speaker:Right.
Speaker:So I wanna talk about both those.
Speaker:I wanna talk about how do we identify, Hey, what's your superpower?
Speaker:What's that stuff you're really good at in life?
Speaker:And you, you get to be like, stoked and thankful for that.
Speaker:And then what's the stuff that might be able to take you out?
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:So how do we begin, uh, as we start this challenge?
Speaker:How do we begin to identify the things in our life that we are really good at?
Speaker:Um, well, I think that many of us have a sense of the two or three things that we maybe can do well in life.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Like you're a very good musician and singer and songwriter, and you, and you're aware of that.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Right?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:I mean, you do it for a living, right?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And, and look, it's not a matter of like, is there someone better or whatever.
Speaker:You probably name a 10, 10 guys that you think are better.
Speaker:You know, it's not the point.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:That's one of your superpowers.
Speaker:You're good at it.
Speaker:You can do it.
Speaker:You don't have to think about it.
Speaker:You're not stressing about it.
Speaker:You're very good.
Speaker:It's naturally good at it.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:One of my superpowers is I notice everything.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:I, I notice everything.
Speaker:I can't not, it's just weird.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It doesn't matter if it's space on a line.
Speaker:There's an extra space there.
Speaker:Uh.
Speaker:Something in the room that's detail.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It's just, it's, it's one of my superpowers.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:Um, I think everybody's got a few things.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Um, now they've either come naturally like you, like, uh, my son-in-law, Daniel natural athlete.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It's one of his superpowers.
Speaker:Pitch a round object, IEA ball towards him and have any type of a bat like item in his hand.
Speaker:It's gone.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Like it's nuts.
Speaker:Doesn't matter how fast it's coming in or big or small.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:It's a superpower talented guy, so it's natural.
Speaker:Um, other things we're good at that we've put time and invested in.
Speaker:So people are like, no, I wasn't good at this, but I went to school for it.
Speaker:I got lessons, or I've just worked at it and I'm, I have that skill and ability now.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:So, um, that's one thing.
Speaker:I think some people have a sense of that.
Speaker:What is that in your life?
Speaker:Um, do you think about using it for yourself or do you think about using it for others?
Speaker:They're like, well, I don't know.
Speaker:I do it at work.
Speaker:I get paid for it.
Speaker:Would you do it for free?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Because it's a superpower, like you're really good at it, you know?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:You don't have to think about it or muster up.
Speaker:Um, what do people consistently tell you that you're really good at?
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:Like, do you have anything like that in your life?
Speaker:People have pointed that out.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Some people will think this is kinda a shame.
Speaker:Like, well, when I was younger, people say I was always really good at that, but then I just got this from my job and now.
Speaker:That's all I really do.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:Is my job.
Speaker:And it's like, hmm.
Speaker:Maybe that's a idol.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Probably go back to episode 1 73 and listen in on how do I identify Idol.
Speaker:Right.
Speaker:But maybe, you know, now there's also, there's a really good tool out there, and I'm gonna guess that many of our listeners may have heard of it, unless it's connected to Superman or superheroes like you.
Speaker:And you want to, I do what I'm talking about, but it's this thing called Strengths finder.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:You ever heard of that?
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Super
Speaker:helpful in
Speaker:my own
Speaker:life.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:I think they recently changed the name to Clifton Strengths.
Speaker:That's kind of weird.
Speaker:I think I had a better title before, but it's an awesome tool and it's actually part of Gallup research and it's been used by over 18 million people that they claim, and I think it's true.
Speaker:I would assume so.
Speaker:It's super popular.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:I've taken all those tests and that one for me was one that just nailed it.
Speaker:It was so helpful for me.
Speaker:Yeah, it is amazing.
Speaker:So they, on their own site it says that, you know, millions of people around the world have completed this, this assessment, and they discover what they naturally do best see naturally.
Speaker:So it's like a super, it's built into you.
Speaker:It's a power, you know?
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Um, they learn how to develop their greatest talents and they.
Speaker:Uh, this, there, this assessment to help 'em find it.
Speaker:So there's a Strengths Finder 2.0 out now, and it, it's just, it's a powerful thing.
Speaker:I did the Strengths Finder thing years ago.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:And, um, I found it like you very, very helpful and, and what it is, is this guy, and I think this is why they changed the name to Clifton Strengths or something like that, um, in the early fifties, this guy Donald Clifton.
Speaker:Um, who would go on to be named the father of strengths Psychology.
Speaker:Wow.
Speaker:Cool.
Speaker:That's his superpower, that he noticed a major problem, that the field of psychology, uh, and personality assessments and all that stuff was based almost entirely on, on the study of what's wrong with people.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:Like, like due to be Right.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:And he wondered if it'd be more important to study what's right about people.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:And so he began to study this and all that, and so you can actually do this assessment.
Speaker:And there again, they, I mean, this is Gallup and they've put this stuff together in 18 million peoples, and it's deep if you've done it right.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:And they kind of, they, they assess you over like, I dunno, 20 something categories or something like that.
Speaker:But they tell you your top five.
Speaker:Like, these are your strengths in life.
Speaker:Like this is what you're strong at.
Speaker:And in an organization, and a family is an organization, a church as an organization, a staff, a business.
Speaker:Those are organizations.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:These are gonna be really helpful.
Speaker:Like you're naturally good at these and you should continue to grow in these areas.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Like you'll actually be, you'll actually be more valuable and useful.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:Not like earning God's love kind of value, I'll say, but you know Sure.
Speaker:To an organization or team or within your family by focusing on what you're already good at and getting even better at that.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:And then letting know people.
Speaker:Let people know, rather that you are good at it.
Speaker:Here's my top five, just to kinda give people an idea.
Speaker:Communication number one.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:That's
Speaker:number
Speaker:four.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Here I am doing podcasts.
Speaker:Here you are doing it.
Speaker:So right now, how far apart these are, they don't tell you.
Speaker:So my top five communication, ideation.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:So I write books for living.
Speaker:I was a songwriter for years and years and years.
Speaker:I'm like, you're right.
Speaker:Ideation, strategic.
Speaker:That's my number one.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Activator.
Speaker:Cool things.
Speaker:I was a record producer for years and years and years.
Speaker:Create tons of content, get stuff done.
Speaker:And then input.
Speaker:And input is a strength where you notice everything.
Speaker:Yeah, I already told you.
Speaker:That's one of my superpowers.
Speaker:And you kind of catalog it away for later.
Speaker:So like when I'm at a restaurant and I go like, oh, that's a weird way, they hung that fabric up there in the, you know, on the ceiling and they got a little tweak, lights behind it.
Speaker:Ding.
Speaker:I put that in the back of my head somewhere.
Speaker:And then later on, someone's doing a church plant or they're doing something in the back room of their house and they're like, I don't know what to do.
Speaker:The ceiling's kind of funky.
Speaker:Hey.
Speaker:I, I saw this thing, you know?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It's all cataloged back there.
Speaker:A billion things though, and it is, and it's part of like, oh, that's why I notice everything, you know?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:What are yours?
Speaker:Okay, so my number one, strategic number two is belief number three is futuristic, so I'm always thinking towards the future.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Cool.
Speaker:Number four is communication, and number five is empathy.
Speaker:Empathy.
Speaker:Yes.
Speaker:So I've got one in each.
Speaker:I don't care about that
Speaker:wheelhouse.
Speaker:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker:One in, one in the wheelhouse.
Speaker:But yeah, it is a
Speaker:super helpful, super helpful.
Speaker:And I don't know, it costs a few bucks to do it.
Speaker:You, you get a book, you buy the book basically, and then it comes with a code and you can go online and take the thing.
Speaker:So it's awesome.
Speaker:I'll put a link to that in the show notes for everybody, but that's another way to find out like, what are you good at?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:So, yeah.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And that's helpful too, because it's not just helpful for your Missional Community or your job or your family, but you're able to go, Hey guys, my number one, my number one is strategy.
Speaker:So why don't you let somebody who's doesn't have it anywhere near the top five or 10 of theirs like.
Speaker:Don't let them do the job.
Speaker:That requires a ton of strategy.
Speaker:Like let Heath handle that.
Speaker:'cause that's his gifting and
Speaker:Yeah, they're, they're, it's killing them.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Someone who's got that gift.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Let me, let me bear that burden.
Speaker:I'll take that 'cause it's my gifting and let Tina do hospitality.
Speaker:You know what I mean?
Speaker:Like it really does help knowing what the gifts and strengths of your community are.
Speaker:And I'll just say this too, is that when the more you operate in areas of strength Yeah.
Speaker:And by the way, these are all from God.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Um, and, and.
Speaker:Ask him for all good things and anyway, so growing those things.
Speaker:But when you operate more and more in the areas of your strengths Yeah, God-given strengths and strengths that you recognize and then work on
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:And offer and get to practice and get acknowledged for and all that stuff, you're actually gonna be like less stressful.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:More fulfilled, you know?
Speaker:And again, we're not trying to make these strengths idols in our life, replacing, you know, God alone and all that stuff, but we are all image bearers.
Speaker:And no one of us is perfect and does everything perfectly.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And yet God pours these abilities and you know, we're calling 'em superpowers.
Speaker:They just have some fun with 'em, you know?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:But he pours them into people and it's good.
Speaker:And it's okay.
Speaker:To know what they are and acknowledge 'em.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So I think what you're saying is it's, it's not necessarily, I was raised in a church where you don't focus on your strengths.
Speaker:You're just constantly tweaking your weaknesses, trying to get better.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:That's that whole behavioral modification that comes out of a false understanding of sin and all.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So anytime you start to go, Hey guys, I'm actually really good at strategy.
Speaker:You go, uh, am I allowed to say that or does it, is that super prideful?
Speaker:And I think what you're saying is it's not necessarily prideful to be identifying your gifts and the giftings of others and actually talk about that.
Speaker:Right.
Speaker:I don't think it is.
Speaker:Um, I'm not sure if you knew how good I am at.
Speaker:No, I'm just kidding.
Speaker:Um, no, I don't think it is.
Speaker:I don't think it is prideful.
Speaker:Now you could you take it and get prideful about it?
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Absolutely.
Speaker:It's like anything else.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Right.
Speaker:You totally can.
Speaker:But I was talking to someone recently, uh oh no.
Speaker:It was us at, uh, Las Gar Theology.
Speaker:We're talking about why when someone is, uh, like really good at something.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And they tell you it bugs you.
Speaker:Yeah,
Speaker:I, I do remember.
Speaker:And people were like, yeah, I don't wanna hear it from people.
Speaker:It's like, well, why?
Speaker:You know?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It's like, well, I guess if it comes up, but if they keep bringing it up.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Wow.
Speaker:So we're not saying that like you, like you step on people or you run over people once you identify the things you're good at or they, they, they shouldn't do it.
Speaker:'cause this is, and I've been in those situations too, it's like, dude, this is the guy with the strategy.
Speaker:He's doing it.
Speaker:You're not, well, that happens to be one of my gifts too.
Speaker:But, you know, pit bull, right?
Speaker:Or this is the guy who, she's she or the gal. She's got this strength.
Speaker:She's the only one ever gonna do this again.
Speaker:Well, I wanna grow in that area, so like, could I work with her, you know, or whatever.
Speaker:Right.
Speaker:You know?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So anyway, so no, I don't think it is.
Speaker:And I think there again, God is, has he?
Speaker:He has all these things and strengths and amazing diversity and abilities and all knowledge and sovereignty and all that, and he's created us in his image.
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:And so all these things are still a part of how we show his glory.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:Do you think God's a strategic God?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Totally.
Speaker:Do you think God has got ideation?
Speaker:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker:He like dreams up the whole planet and, and then, you know, and speaks it into existence and forms humans with his hands and breathes, breath into 'em and boom, there's their life and
Speaker:yeah,
Speaker:like, oh yeah, all these things.
Speaker:You can completely see the counterparts of that's what God's like.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And so when we submit it to him for his glory, not our own, it's a beautiful thing and it's, it's an okay thing to notice and acknowledge your superpowers and the superpowers in other people.
Speaker:It'd be fun to throw Jesus like on a StrengthFinder test and see if it just comes back like, we can't give you the top five.
Speaker:'cause they're all just equal.
Speaker:Or if there was like Yeah,
Speaker:that's what we assume.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:But he was a human.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So maybe he had some aspects and
Speaker:he, yeah.
Speaker:This isn't sovereignty finder,
Speaker:I think,
Speaker:anyway.
Speaker:And that's not the only way to get at it.
Speaker:Yeah, sure.
Speaker:So I'm
Speaker:just saying that's a test.
Speaker:And I know a lot of people, it's said helpful.
Speaker:It's really helpful.
Speaker:Uh, other people use Enneagrams and that's, that's has, that starts to dip more into personality.
Speaker:That's why I like to strength finders, you know, like, okay.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So anyway, um,
Speaker:no, that's great.
Speaker:How, let's talk about the kryptonite side of this a little bit.
Speaker:Um, how do we start identifying our kryptonite?
Speaker:And can you start out.
Speaker:By defining what that is a little bit more, we talked about space rocks, but it's
Speaker:not
Speaker:that I
Speaker:don't
Speaker:think you're going
Speaker:there.
Speaker:Dark powered rock.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Now let me, let me give you three steps that I'd start with.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Uh, two of them are kind of easier.
Speaker:Um, you gotta do 'em still.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Uh, and one of 'em is a little bolder.
Speaker:I won't say harder, but maybe it's harder.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:First, um, start with some honest self-assessment.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Like, like you have to take some time.
Speaker:It's not gonna just dawn on you.
Speaker:So to find your kryptonite or those things that you know, that might take you out or, um, could you, could, you know, like, I want to talk about this with God and people and I want to eliminate this.
Speaker:Like,
Speaker:sure.
Speaker:This kryptonite for my life.
Speaker:Start with some honest self-assessment.
Speaker:Set aside some time, pray, ask the Holy Spirit to identify, you know, any areas of your life or your character that.
Speaker:That you, you know, that he would have you be more aware of.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:And begin to look for any unbelief, right?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:In who God is and what's true of you behind those things.
Speaker:And then write them down, like whatever the spirit puts on your heart.
Speaker:And I, there again, just like I said, I think we have an innate sense of some things that we're kind of good at.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:I think you kind of have some, a sense of like, you know what, this could take me out.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:That could take me out.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:You know?
Speaker:Um, then this is next.
Speaker:Um.
Speaker:Share all of this with someone close to you.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:And this is where most people won't do it.
Speaker:You know?
Speaker:'cause there's pride involved and all, just like, I don't wanna share what I'm good at.
Speaker:Really don't share.
Speaker:Uh, trust me like this.
Speaker:Humble yourself.
Speaker:Share it with a spouse, a best friend, or maybe even a parent, right?
Speaker:The parent's known you your whole life.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:If's trusted.
Speaker:Right.
Speaker:Um, tell them that you are looking to identify areas of your life and character that may be problematic or hindering how others perceive you.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Or how effective you are at work, you know, or at home.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Et cetera.
Speaker:Right.
Speaker:And that you really wanna glorify God in all areas of your life and character so that you know their honest feedback.
Speaker:What you heard the Holy Spirit saying, they can con either confirm it or add insights to it.
Speaker:Be super helpful.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:You know, I, I think that most people would be blown away that you'd even ask.
Speaker:Absolutely.
Speaker:Right?
Speaker:Absolutely.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Now, by the way, there's a big difference between being open to feedback.
Speaker:Actively, actively seeking out feedback.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:I think most people say I'm open to feedback.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:I don't receive any of it, but I'm open to hearing it, you know?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Versus
Speaker:actively going after it.
Speaker:I'm seeking it and I, and you know why I'm seeking it, because I'm trying to compare and contrast to what God's saying.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:What I think he's saying.
Speaker:What I've always, you know, maybe been suspicious of right now, third, and this one's a little harder.
Speaker:Um, and I first heard this from, uh, a guy by the name of Hal Elrod.
Speaker:He wrote a book called The Miracle Morning.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:And it's kind of how to, it's kind of how to be an early riser, but it's not that.
Speaker:It's really how do you start your day with intentionality?
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:He's also a man of faith, but it's not a Christian book, but Sure.
Speaker:How do you start your day with some intentionality?
Speaker:And some exercise and some meditation and, you know, and, and just get your day like going and prepared and focused on what you know, you, God's got in front of you and all.
Speaker:And he, he shares how, um, he started actively seeking feedback by sending his friends and family, uh, an email.
Speaker:He sent it out to about, uh, 20 or so people, friends, family, colleagues, current and past team members that he'd work with and stuff.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:And he asked them for their brutal honesty and feedback.
Speaker:About himself.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:And here's, here's what he wrote.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Check this up.
Speaker:The, the subject line of the email was, I'd love to get your opinion.
Speaker:And just get ready for this.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:He goes, dear, family, friends, and colleagues.
Speaker:Or, I think you could do it like you know the person's name.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Like give duty 20 of 'em.
Speaker:Thanks for reading this email.
Speaker:It's not an easy one for me to send, but it's extremely important to me.
Speaker:So I sincerely appreciate you investing your valuable time reading and hopefully responding to it.
Speaker:This email's going out only to a select group of people.
Speaker:Each of you knows me really well or you spend a lot of time with me and I'm hoping you'll give me honest feedback about my strengths and most importantly my weaknesses.
Speaker:Huh?
Speaker:AKA areas of improvement.
Speaker:I feel like for me to grow and improve as a person, I need to get a more accurate picture.
Speaker:How I'm showing up to the people that matter most to me, while I'm always open to feedback.
Speaker:This is very different from actively seeking feedback and in, in order to become a person I need to be, to create the life and contribute to others in the ways I want that levels I want.
Speaker:I need your feedback.
Speaker:So all I'm asking is that you take just a few minutes to email me back with what you honestly think are my top two or three areas of improvement.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:Wow.
Speaker:Ouch.
Speaker:Right?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:If, and if it makes you feel better, you know, to also list two or three of my strengths, I'm sure that'll help me feel better.
Speaker:Yeah, you can also do that.
Speaker:You're welcome to do both.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:That's it.
Speaker:Please don't sugarcoat it or hold anything back.
Speaker:I'll not be offended by anything that you share.
Speaker:In fact, the more brutally honest you are, the more leverage it'll give me to make positive changes in my life.
Speaker:Huh.
Speaker:Thank you again.
Speaker:If there's anything else I can do to add value to your life, please let me know with gratitude.
Speaker:Isn't that crazy, man?
Speaker:That's amazing.
Speaker:So he sends this out and the first one he gets back, like he said, he sends it and he's just waiting, looking in his email box.
Speaker:First one comes back, it's from his mom, and it's just like glowing and glorious.
Speaker:Okay?
Speaker:So either, so either after step two or three.
Speaker:So step two being, you know, um, like I.
Speaker:I shared this, you know what?
Speaker:I came up with some others with some other people.
Speaker:Or you send this out and you get some crazy written feedback.
Speaker:The third thing I'd say is document the feedback that you get.
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:Like write it down, like try to categorize it or what people are saying is it kinda all fit over here under the, you know, there's two or three, four things or you know, whatever.
Speaker:And then I identify connected them actions that you want to take.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:You know, pray about a guy like what's next Lord, with that, like people are pointing this out, you know, and you're confirming it in my spirit now.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So what am I gonna do then?
Speaker:I
Speaker:love that.
Speaker:What specific actions will you start to take now that you have some new awareness going on?
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:Is there anyone you need to ask for forgiveness?
Speaker:You know, 'cause you might need to do that too.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Like it might just be the thing where someone goes like, okay, this is a pattern and wow, you know what?
Speaker:You really hurt me with it.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Thanks for the brutal honesty and I wanna ask you to forgive me.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So, um.
Speaker:I love that.
Speaker:You know, and then, and then kind of, you know, have that around, like, I have this thing called smart behaviors that a, that a coach taught me years and years ago.
Speaker:Um, and I have it in my calendar that goes off every Wednesday morning.
Speaker:Here's your smart behaviors, and I review them.
Speaker:For 20 years, man.
Speaker:Almost, almost 20 years now.
Speaker:And I mean, I could share what they are.
Speaker:It's kind of the same thing.
Speaker:I got this from a coach though, who I spent a lot of time with, and he got feedback from people I worked with and colleagues and my boss who is paying for the coaching Sure.
Speaker:And all that.
Speaker:Right?
Speaker:And, uh, here's, I've had this, I've had this on my calendar, goes off every, uh, a certain day of the week.
Speaker:Everywhere here's, it goes.
Speaker:I, and here they are.
Speaker:Affirm.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:Affirm people.
Speaker:It's good.
Speaker:You're, you know, he, he told me like, dude, you're moving so smart and your StrengthFinders like you're strategy boy, you're off the hook with that.
Speaker:But affirm others too.
Speaker:'cause everybody's got their superpowers, right?
Speaker:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker:Um, be curious and ask questions of people before moving on to give them your, your.
Speaker:Your input on everything.
Speaker:Huh?
Speaker:Be curious.
Speaker:Just be more curious.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And it's gonna help people.
Speaker:And there's a whole list, you know, um, he said practice open architecture with your ideas.
Speaker:So your ideas might not always be the only ones or the best.
Speaker:Can there be more than one idea?
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:You know, so he gave me a list of these and they were so helpful to me.
Speaker:It was brutal to get to 'em.
Speaker:And some of 'em were stinging a little, right?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:But I like Spirit of God and others in my life, affirmed.
Speaker:Nope, those are real, man.
Speaker:Those would be really helpful, you know?
Speaker:Mm. Uh, because those are areas that could be kryptonite.
Speaker:They could take you out relationally or alienate people from you or whatever.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:And ultimately they're not what God's like.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And so, you know these, so I, those, it's kinda the same thing.
Speaker:So.
Speaker:You know, maybe you'll do the how thing, you know, maybe you're, you know, with the email, maybe you're not, I mean, that's pretty heavy duty, but
Speaker:takes some humility Yeah.
Speaker:To get
Speaker:there, which beautiful.
Speaker:It sure does.
Speaker:But document the feedback, write it down.
Speaker:Identify some actions.
Speaker:And like for me with that one thing, like I said, I, I wrote 'em down.
Speaker:They've been on my calendar.
Speaker:They pop up at once a week for 18 something like years now.
Speaker:I think, you know, so
Speaker:you talk about forgiveness.
Speaker:It's one of the things that a few years back I did, I felt really convicted by that show.
Speaker:My name is Earl, where he tries to go forgive people that he's wronged throughout his life.
Speaker:And so I spent probably a month
Speaker:or he's trying to get them to freak out.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:He's trying to get them to, yeah.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And so I spent about a month like just really consulting with a spirit of people in my life all throughout my history.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:That I knew either I had issues with and hadn't forgiven or vice versa, that I knew I've made them mad.
Speaker:Wow.
Speaker:Beautiful.
Speaker:And contacted every single one of them, like 15 years old.
Speaker:I hunt them down on Facebook and sent 'em a message.
Speaker:Oh man.
Speaker:They were humbled.
Speaker:All, every relationship restored.
Speaker:Uh,
Speaker:and I'm guessing that exercise was, you were probably led to that brother by the spirit.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:To root out some aspect of.
Speaker:Piece of kryptonite in your life.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It wasn't necessarily the specific things.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It was something that, that exercise, God knew if you'll be upbeat and do this, I'm gonna, I'm gonna remove something that kryptonite in your life.
Speaker:And it was beautiful, man.
Speaker:Like that's cool.
Speaker:And then people were so forgiving and like, of course I don't even remember the situation.
Speaker:I
Speaker:haven't done the Hal El Redd email thing yet.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:But like I'm thinking about it.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And I'm like scared to death.
Speaker:I'm
Speaker:just Sure.
Speaker:Just to be honest, I'm scared to death
Speaker:maybe set up like a Google form so you don't know who's saying it.
Speaker:So you can't hold
Speaker:it against it.
Speaker:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker:Maybe.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:I love that.
Speaker:I know I invite you into this often.
Speaker:I wanna do it again.
Speaker:If you're interested in learning a full framework for discipleship or getting into some coaching where you get to be taught gospel fluency, grow in that ability, have someone walk through that with you, help you with all that.
Speaker:Just check out the coaching that we offer.
Speaker:If you go over to everyday Disciple dot com slash coaching.
Speaker:Everyday Disciple dot com slash coaching.
Speaker:There's a bunch more information.
Speaker:There's a little form you can fill out there.
Speaker:You're not committing to anything, but that form will say, Hey, I have some questions.
Speaker:I'm interested, and we'll set up a time to hop on a Zoom call and talk about it.
Speaker:I'd love to do that.
Speaker:See if we can get you into some coaching.
Speaker:Alright, so as always, we're gonna give you the big three takeaways, the big three.
Speaker:Hey, don't miss this.
Speaker:If nothing else, and they're available to you as a printable PDF.
Speaker:All you have to do is go to everyday Disciple dot com slash big three.
Speaker:And these are all nicely, beautifully on a page for you.
Speaker:And you can use this to review the podcast or share it with someone else.
Speaker:Or maybe just to re encourage your heart.
Speaker:Caesar, what are the big three for this week?
Speaker:Okay, first one, everyone is created with strengths.
Speaker:And talents and, and are given gifts from God.
Speaker:Everybody that just, I've never met a person who doesn't have something like many things.
Speaker:Right?
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:It's good to be self-aware of these strengths, your superpowers.
Speaker:Okay?
Speaker:And also acknowledge that they are, they come from God.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:Um, then they can be used for his glory or they could be used for your own.
Speaker:And that's the thing about any of these, you know, things we're good at, or gifts that God's given us, or our quote, superpowers, they can be used for God's glory or they can be used for our own.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:Identifying what you're good at, your areas of strength, and then working to grow even further and bless even more people.
Speaker:That's, I think that's all part of what it means to be a child of God.
Speaker:More concerned with his glory.
Speaker:You get to, you get to use these, these things and you get to grow in them, and you get to bless people with 'em.
Speaker:That's great.
Speaker:Alright, number two.
Speaker:Second.
Speaker:We all have areas of life and character that contain blind spots and are open to improvement.
Speaker:Okay?
Speaker:Like we've been calling 'em kryptonite just for the analogy, but God's desire is that every area of our lives glorify him, right?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So he wants to change the things in our life that do not.
Speaker:But here's some really good news.
Speaker:He already loves us fully.
Speaker:Perfectly regardless.
Speaker:So good.
Speaker:So he, he doesn't wanna leave us there.
Speaker:He wants that out of our lives.
Speaker:'cause he wants us to fully image and glorify him, but he loves us perfectly anyway.
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:Tim Killer once said, the gospel's this we're more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe.
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:Yet at the very same time, we're more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ and we ever dared hope.
Speaker:Wow.
Speaker:That's good news,
Speaker:man.
Speaker:So, see, we can, we can kinda let our, you know, redemption show as we've said before, right?
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:And third.
Speaker:This is like the hands part of it, the rubber hitting the road part.
Speaker:Get started on some form of a self-assessment today.
Speaker:Hmm.
Speaker:Do this with your constant advocate and comforter of the Holy Spirit, okay?
Speaker:Don't do it alone.
Speaker:It's not your opinion of yourself.
Speaker:And then you make a lot of excuses, like open yourself up to the spirit of God who's a comforter.
Speaker:Remember that and an advocate.
Speaker:He's on your side.
Speaker:Don't fear receiving and actually seeking out feedback from others as well if they actually knew the whole truth about you.
Speaker:Their feedback would even be harder to hear, so they've only seen parts of your life and not your full heart.
Speaker:So document the feedback you get and then identify actions that you can take immediately and over time.
Speaker:To begin to eliminate those from your life or improve in those areas.
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:Um, write these insights and actions down and keep them where you can see them and review them.
Speaker:I even daily, right?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Like things you're serious about.
Speaker:Review 'em daily, make 'em part of your routine.
Speaker:Make 'em part of your morning routine or rituals.
Speaker:I'm just convicted that this is something that I'm gonna want to revisit.
Speaker:It's been a few years since I've taken the StrengthFinder.
Speaker:Wanna retake that?
Speaker:'cause I'm sure things have even changed too, based off of the situation I'm in.
Speaker:But, um, I'm feeling compelled to, to maybe send this email out to a few people and just.
Speaker:Put it in a place, print it out and, and see, I do wanna be conformed into the image of Jesus and letting people speak into what that looks like.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:They can see stuff that oftentimes can't.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:And, and I wanna encourage you, brother and I, who I love so much and everybody listening too, when, when starting to do the assessment on the, on the kryptonite side of it, don't let that become your focus.
Speaker:'cause that's not your identity.
Speaker:That's a
Speaker:good word.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It's not your identity.
Speaker:Those are things that could take you out.
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:Or they're things that you've picked up along the way as idols or character issues or whatever.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:And you're asking the spirit of God and community to help identify 'em and move beyond them.
Speaker:Mm-hmm.
Speaker:Because you want God to be glorified.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Don't focus on that.
Speaker:Like remember, this is a both and this is superpower and cry tonight and.
Speaker:What you do does not equal who you are.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Right.
Speaker:So we get to work on these things and eliminate those things from our life.
Speaker:But that's not, that's not your value.
Speaker:That's not your identity.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:No.
Speaker:That's a
Speaker:reminder there.
Speaker:That's a good word, ma'am.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:So we're gonna give people the free download of the, the big three for this week, as well as a link to the scallop strength finder.
Speaker:That'll be in the show notes.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:It might be on the big three two, but either way you get it and, uh, check it out if you want.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:I'd love to serve you in that way.
Speaker:And, um.
Speaker:If you haven't yet given us review on iTunes, we'd love to just ask you to do that.
Speaker:Um, just a simple review with a couple comments.
Speaker:We might even
Speaker:read it like we did at the top of the show.
Speaker:That that's, we'd
Speaker:love to, I'd like to be reading four or five every time.
Speaker:That'd be fun.
Speaker:Like Garage Church.
Speaker:Gotta plug this time maybe.
Speaker:Maybe you will next week.
Speaker:Again, you get the big three takeaways from this week by going to everyday Disciple dot com slash big three.
Speaker:Thanks for joining us today.
Speaker:For more information on this show and to get loads of free discipleship resources, visit everyday Disciple dot com and remember.
Speaker:You really can live with a spiritual freedom and relational peace that Jesus promised
Speaker:every day.