It has taken me a long time to realize that so much of our spirituality is linked to our personality type. I do not mean to deny our 'free will' to choose how we respond or behave in certain situations, but if we can step back and be kind to ourselves instead of beating ourselves up, we will see that our 'natures' or 'personality-types' have a powerful influence over our life vision, our morality and our spirituality.
Take the example of forgiveness: we agree it is good to be able to forgive - not for the other party, but for ourselves. Hanging on to a hurt or nursing a grudge rarely affects the other person but can and does damage us through stress (sometimes guilt) and often depression. So why is it hard for some people to forgive and not for others (like me). It seems to me that it is much easier for an extrovert to forgive than an introvert. Certain personality types (extroverts) have it easier in their social interactions by processing externally (instantly) and not internalizing or dwelling on things. For an introvert who absorbs everything and processes internally over long periods, the real or perceived wrong gets stuck firmly in the psyche where it festers and grows causing pain and suffering.
Is an extrovert more virtuous because they are able to forgive and the introvert less because forgiveness does not come so easily? The answer should be - 'no, of course not' - but this has not been the teaching of the Church regarding sin and virtue. We were taught that we all must follow the same path towards 'goodness' regardless of the effort and that the more effort involved, the more virtuous we become. Are we culpable for 'sins' over which we have little or limited control - or to be considered 'virtuous' when for some it is merely a function of their nature or personality?
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