Highly sensitive people (HSP) feel deeply and process information more thoroughly than others. They ‘absorb’ other people’s emotions and have therefore difficulties to distinguish their own feelings. They can’t spend much time in crowded, loud, and visually busy spaces since it overwhelms their nervous system so that they need to withdraw and spend time alone.
Being highly sensitive isn’t an illness, but a normal trait that occurs in 15-20% of the population. I talk more about the characteristics of HSP in this blog post: The highly sensitive person
Highly sensitive people have to cope with overwhelm and exhaustion on a regular basis. Most HSP consider their sensitivity to be a burden. But there’s a flip side to every coin. I believe highly sensitive people are actually God’s gift to the world. Let’s look at a few reasons why:
Empathy: Highly sensitive people are able to understand people and share in their feelings.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15
Empathy lies at the heart of Christianity. The ability to feel other’s emotions and share in their burdens is deeply Christlike. HSP are great listeners and make others feel comfortable, understood, and safe in their presence.
Reading people: Since HSP take in more information than other people they notice subtle changes in body language and voice tones. Noticing how others are feeling they often see what’s going on in other people’s heart’s and mind’s. They see behind the facades and recognize what moves people and what’s actually going on inside of them. With this knowledge, HSP can address deeply held hurt as well as tensions in relationships to help them resolve their problems.
Creativity: Look at nature. How beautifully and carefully God created each and everything. How much attention to detail he put into his creation! The act of creating something is in itself godly.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1
God is the one who gives us the ability to be creative:
He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers – all of them skilled workers and designers. Exodus 35:35
Many highly sensitive people are prone to creativity and exercising art in different forms, as it helps us to express our emotions.
The ability to feel more: Since HSP are often in tune with their emotions, they are able to feel things more deeply. The sound of music, the beauty of nature, and the peace of a sunset are joyful experiences for the sensitive heart. No one feels worship as intensely as a highly sensitive person.
Conscientious: Highly sensitive people are most like to be conscientious. They don’t like to be late and work carefully and thoroughly. Whatever they produce it is of high quality.
Peacemakers: Since HSP don’t like conflict, they are great at helping resolve a tense situation. Jesus says that the peacemakers are blessed:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9
Being a peacemaker is so close to God’s heart!
Encouragement: Since HSP are empathetic and care about other people, they are great at encouraging others. They want others to live up to their potential, see them discovering their strengths, and help them to keep going while facing challenges.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1. Thessalonians 5:11
The gift of prophecy: In my experience, HSP are mostly likely to be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and are prone to the gift of prophecy. This is something I personally observed in my circle of family and friends. Since they seek out the deeper meaning of things and want more of God’s presence, the Holy Spirit reveals to them hidden secrets and things yet to come.
More about prophecy: How I’ve learned about the gift of prophecy
Imagine what our world would look like without highly sensitive people. How harsh and ruthless our society would be without the empathetic and mild souls.
Your life is not about you, but about God. You are called to be an image-bearer of God. And without even trying, so many characteristics of HSP are already deeply Christlike. You’re so close and dearly held to God’s heart! He gave you a unique personality with gifts and talents to build His kingdom. Don’t hide your sensitivity but put it to use to glorify God, because the world needs you!
Read more blog posts for highly sensitive people:
Feeling misunderstood as a highly sensitive Christian
Overcoming shame as a Christian introvert
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13 replies on “Highly Sensitive People as God’s gift to the world”
This topic really blessed me because I’ve always disliked how sensitive I am especially when I was growing up. Other kids would tease and mock me because I was so quiet and soft spoken. I took myself being sensitive and emotional as a downfall because the world makes us feel like if we don’t fight back or if we don’t “stand up for our selves and speak our minds in a Aggressive way” we are weak. I’ve watered down my passion many times for this reason and reading this has made me see that it’s actually a blessing and a trait that God gave me in the womb. I won’t hide my heart and my passion for Christ anymore, and thank you sister for your consistency in your blogs to help others on their faith journey!
My story is very similar to yours. I’m so grateful that both of us can see that God gave us this trait as a gift that he wants us to use. And I’m very proud of you for not hiding your heart and passion for Christ anymore! 🥰
This makes so much sense
Thank you very much I found the right words at the right time😍😊
Amen! I am so blessed with your blogs. I am a person with a highly sensitive personality and being higly sensitive often times people misunderstood my personality and see it negatively. So I grew up thinking that maybe what they think and says about me is true. That being a highly sensitive person means there is wrong about me. But reading your blog about HSP enighten me and made me realized that having HSP is not wrong. God created me uniquely and wonderfully and HSP is a gift and what makes me ME. Now I feel free knowing who I am as God created me to be. I no longer confuse with my identity and personality. People still misunderstood me but it doesn’t bother me anymore knowing who I am in God’s eyes and able to understand myself even more and also those people with HSP. All glory belongs to the Lord. God bless you sister and continue to share the wisdom and knowledge that God has given you through your blogs. 😇🙏🏼💕
That is amazing! I’m so glad that you came to the realization that being a HSP is a gift from God. 🥰
Thank you for this. It made me smile and gave me peace. I have struggled with HSP all my life, but have decided to research it as a gift from God and plan on journeying towards using it as God had intended. Thank you! ❤️
Hi Gloria. I’m so happy you decided to accept being a HSP as a gift from God. 😊💕
This makes so much sense
Thank you very much I found the right words at the right time😍😊
Wow this truly was a blessing to me. I was just crying while praying trying to understand why I’ve always been so sensitive and nice to ppl even when they do me so wrong. I always try to see the good in ppl. Now I truly understand my purpose, this is how God made me to be. Thank you so much for this blog.
I enjoyed reading this article. Years ago I was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder. Only until a few years ago I was told I’m a highly sensitive person after several bouts of counseling and continuing education courses. I had no control over a broken marriage. I felt i was losing my mind while raising two children alone. I listened to a psychiatrist and got on medicine for years, until I was rediagnosed years later. God can heal the mind through knowledge of sin in our lives first, then doors can open after that. Are we limited? By all means!! But, for sure God is the great healer!! Thank you again for this brilliant article!
This really encouraged me. Thank you for writing it.
This was really helpful to help understand myself after having someone mention to me that the my think I am HSP person. I’ve always felt and know I’m a very sensitive person and having such understanding behind it is very useful and helpful, especially as I now have a better understanding in how and why I get overwhelmed so easily in good and bad situations. Thanks again for sharing and God bless you all ❤️
Just figured out I am a highly sensitive person. For years I labeled it as depression then anxiety. I have tried medications hoping to dull my sensitivity because I always deemed it a curse. I never dreamed God gave it to me to be a blessing. Thank you so much for the insight!