I have been shy all my life. There has never been a point in my life where talking to new people has been easy for me. There have been countless times where I have wished more than anything in the world that I could be the type of girl that could strike up a conversation with anyone off the street or that I didn’t quiver at the thought of a Socratic circle as a grade (there is seriously nothing I hate more). Being quiet has held me back in a lot of ways. I’ve always considered my shyness as a huge weakness of mine, until recently.

A few weeks ago, in my sorority, we were talking about our flaws, and how God uses our so called flaws in ways that may not make sense to us, to help glorify Him. I said that the thing I wish I could change about myself the most was my shyness towards new people. I then started wondering about how God could possibly use my shyness to help others, and this is what I came up with.

Being quiet has taught me how to be a good listener. I’ve always been the girl that my friends come to when they need someone to talk to because they know I will be there to listen. People really open up when they have someone there to just sit, listen, and be there for support.

I also think a lot before I speak. Don't get me wrong, I do have my moments of hastiness, but for the most part, I'm pretty thoughtful over what I say and how I say it, and I think that this has helped me in a lot of my personal relationships.

Lastly, I think being shy has made me more approachable. Even though sometimes being shy can come off as being stand-offish, for the most part, I think it comes off as vulnerable. People aren't afraid to ask me questions. I think this especially helps a lot when people question me about God and why I believe what I do. God gave me this trait for a reason, and if it helps people learn more about Him through me, then I'm thankful for it.

I’m not saying to not push yourself out of your comfort zone every once in a while. You should always work on bettering yourself. I've overcome a lot of my shyness over the past few years, but it's still something that I struggle with. I'm still working on becoming more outgoing, and I think it's something I'll have to push myself to be my whole life.

I want to urge you to look at your flaws and find some sort of beauty in them. It will give you a whole new perspective on how God works in and through you.