Meet Martha Melancholy - Part 1

Martha Melancholy usually possesses the richest of all the temperaments. She is generally quite gifted by nature, with a high IQ and constantly analyzing everything. She often achieves good grades in school, enjoying the complex studies of chemistry, mathematics, and other precise subjects. If she has talents in the field of music, she will have a deep appreciation for good music and possibly be able to play an instrument or sing. She is usually a good speller and a precise grammarian. She is the student that teachers love because she gets her work in on time, and it is usually the neatest work in the class.

Martha is an introvert and, depending on her background, childhood training, and past experiences, she may rarely volunteer her opinion, even though she almost always has one. She is very sensitive, which may be why she does so well in the health-care field. There her self-sacrificing nature enables her to minister effectively to others, if her natural introversion and fear do not inhibit her. Once she works through the early days of a new vocation and becomes comfortable in her work, she will do extremely well with her innovative mind and creativity.

Martha usually doesn't have many friends because she is so internal and sometimes overly self-occupied. She almost never seeks new friendships, and she really prefers to be alone or at best with one or two others. Once she does acquire a friend, Martha is extremely loyal to them. That may be one reason she has so few friends. She tends to feel disloyal to her first friend if she finds another. If you have a melancholy friend, you will be blessed because you will have a friend for life, provided you don't betray her or grieve her very sensitive spirit. Be warned: You can offend her very easily without even thinking about it. Often Martha Melancholy is so sensitive that you can offend her just by the way you look at her (or, even worse, if you don't look at her.)!

Rarely will Martha have a lazy bone in her body. Instead, she is so industrious that she feels guilty if she isn't working. She is more like Martha, the sister of Lazarus in the Bible, and is always busy trying to make life easier for other people.

Self-discipline is another typical hallmark of melancholies. They are the most likely of the temperaments to follow directions, maintain a physical fitness regimen, and keep the commitment of their wedding vows. Unfortunately, they even tolerate spousal abuse and molestation, which amazes other temperament types.

One of Martha Melancholy's most obvious traits is her perfectionism. And frankly, I can't always say whether that is a blessing or a curse. If she is an artist, performer, or singer, she will work tirelessly to achieve her standard of perfection, which could reach higher than that of her teachers or parents. Then she plunges into a depressed state because she has not measured up to her own expectations. Melancholies are often unhappy with themselves and their performance, even though their peers or employers or customers may be extremely pleased with their creations. And while melancholics are often critical of other people, in fairness I should point out they are usually even more critical of themselves, which may be one reason they are often in an edgy mood.

Unfortunately, Martha's self-discipline doesn't always carry over into her emotional life. Even when told that she can think herself into a "funk" and in some cases a deep depression, she may still hang on to her self-pitying thoughts or self-criticism that spend her emotional energy and make her "tired all the time." In addition, Martha's creative abilities can take over. She can invent more reasons to feel sorry for herself than any other temperament and will imagine or exaggerate rejections, injuries, and insults.

It is interesting that, in the Bible, God sought more melancholy people to serve Him than any others. Some of the greatest prayer warriors, who were self-sacrificing and faithful servants of our Lord, had melancholy temperaments. Just ask yourself: What temperaments were Moses, Elijah, Samuel, John the Baptist, the apostle John, Paul, and Thomas? They were all melancholics. But like all of these men, to be all you can be in service for our Lord or as a person, you must cooperate with the Holy Spirt.


Please read the full Melancholy temperament by purchasing the book...The Spirit-Controlled Woman by Beverly LaHaye