I don’t know about you, but I always thought creative people were born, not made. Some people were “good” at art, and some were not. Some people could sing, and some could not. It was that simple. I mean, if you’re not doing something in order to be “really good” at it, then why bother doing it at all? Why in the world would I do something just because I enjoyed it? That was just silly. A waste of precious time meant for important things.
Childish, even.
Then, I met the God who wants me to come to Him like a little child, and everything changed.
Creativity connects us to God, the Creator of all things. Our acts of creating make us conscious of the fact that we are made in His image…in the image of the Creator Himself. We bring Him glory by seeking to be more like Him by “creating.”
Not only that, but creativity that is oriented Godward helps us focus on what is beautiful, lovely, and praiseworthy. We can create, and we can enjoy what others create as they are a reflection of Him.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8). My goal in life used to be completing my list of important things. It used to be all about how much I could get done in a certain period of time, being efficient, being excellent at whatever I did.
Doing things with excellence is a wonderful thing. I’m so grateful I have a drive to do that. However, God taught me that I was worshipping that drive, and not Him. Anytime we spend time worshipping something besides Him, it is sin. Sin hurts us. It makes us sick. It damages our body and our soul.
I needed healing from my years of driving myself to perfection.
Some of the ways God has revealed His healing in my life have been through these creative outlets:
Exploring them, for me, was an act of trust. In the same way the Israelites had to trust God to provide for them when they honored the Sabbath, I had to trust that He would give me the energy and time to complete the “important things” I didn’t “get done” while I was doing creative things. The result? I had more energy than I did before, and I discovered that the things I thought were important were just not all that significant.
I had great, unexpected joy as I began to explore my own areas of creativity, and felt closer to the Holy Spirit as a result. The more I acted in these areas, the more I was able to enjoy just being with Him in the process.
I also found out that my narrow idea of what defined “creative” was seriously lacking!
Here are 5 examples of activities I do that I now consider creative
Commonplace Book: I have always journaled, but it felt more like something I “should” do. Then, I came across the idea of a Commonplace Book, which is a place not to write my own thoughts, but the “great and noble thoughts of others.” This is where you put treasured quotes and sayings. I began a journal in this fashion, because I so often find that someone says something I feel in a way I could never have described so eloquently.
I write in different colors using some favorite pens, and sometimes draw simple little pictures and flowers around the quotes. It is a peaceful, quiet act – copying the words of men like Tozer and Paul and women like Corrie Ten Boom and Elisabeth Eliot. It’s another way of meditating on all that is pure and lovely, as Paul said (Phil. 4:8). What a joy it is anytime I go back and read through those quotes, verses, and sayings! As I read through them again and again, they become a part of me.
Photography: I also take pictures. I am not a photographer. I have never taken classes, although I would enjoy doing that someday. I just look at pictures other people take, see what I like, and try to copy it. I use applications on my iphone like Instagram and TypoInsta to play around with photos. For me, it’s another way of meditating on the good things, and intentionally being thankful for my family, friends, nature, and just the gift of each day. I think about the moment of the picture, and try to capture it.
Tennis: I even feel this “creativity” of sorts coming out when I play tennis. I had put my racket down for quite some time because my identity was all wrapped up in my athletic ability. As God has graciously renewed my mind in this area of my identity in Him, He has begun to use tennis as a way for me to connect with other women in my neighborhood. To me, playing doubles is like a constantly moving puzzle, and I love putting the pieces together. Placing the ball just so, hitting to that person’s left hand, serving to the left or right of the box. All of these little things, to me, are an act of creating.
Drawing/Painting: I learned that I can draw. I am not a naturally gifted artist. However, I learned that anyone can learn how to draw, and get better at drawing by practicing. I practice by copying simple pictures that I like, mainly from books I read to my kids. I just do this for the joy of doing it.
Pinterest: I’m on a site named Pinterest, which is basically a collection of online cork boards. On it I can “pin” things I see that I like to do different online boards. It can be books, lesson plans, crafts, quotes, clothes, jewelry, games, home decorating, gardening – anything. You can also “follow” people, and “re-pin” what they have pinned. Through this, I have learned that although I am not the type of person who can take an empty room and make it beautiful, I can recognize beauty when I see it. There is great value in that.
There are so many things like this that I do now; I don’t have space to list them here. I didn’t mention my prayer journal, knitting, organizing my home in a way that fits for my family, learning to play piano, listening to classical music, cooking, drawing birds in my nature journal, or my blog. Can you tell I’m making up for lost time?
God has used this “discovery” of latent creativity to heal me in ways I did not know I needed. It’s as if there was a space in my heart for Him, but my heart had a hole in it caused by my striving to be good enough and by my constant busyness.
Your creativity may look completely different from mine. Don’t let my ideas limit you, let them help you expand your definition of what creativity really is! If you don’t already have creative outlets, I urge you to ask Him to show Him you what yours are. Friend, He is faithful, and He will do it! He is working His good and perfect purposes in you for His glory and praise. We are made in His image. We are meant to create beautiful things through His Spirit in us!
