JourneyOnline
Sarah Hands will present a workshop on Friday 28 September at UnitingWomen on “God Woven Creativity – using our gifts wisely”.
Have you ever wished you were creative? Maybe you are creative but are too scared to step out and start a project. I believe we are all born creative. As Christians we serve a God who in his very nature is creative.
Rollo May says creativity is simply the process of bringing something new into being; bringing awareness to what was previously hidden and pointing to new life. This is what God does from Genesis through to the tomb—he brings something new. He brings new life! We can see this in our everyday lives; God is constantly bringing newness out of us as we let him transform our hearts.
As Christians we are therefore called to be creative. You may not think you are creative, but this can be because we often put creativity into a box. We assume it’s only for painters, musicians and photographers. This simply isn’t true. We are all creative. The real question is how we can discover our gifts of creativity and use them to point back to the redemption and gospel of Jesus Christ.
A few years ago I created a podcast called Her Daily Drive. God has taught me so many things over this time. I’ve learnt that the call to be creative is a hard one. But we cannot settle for ordinary.
God doesn’t say the path will be well-lit with an escalator taking us from point A to B. He says that the path of following him, of being obedient, the path of salvation and discipleship, will be narrow and only a few of us will find it. Being obedient in using our creative gifts will take work and it will be hard. But God has also shown me his unending faithfulness through this time. The one who calls you is faithful. Creative projects are filled with challenges and so it not only takes hard work but trust in God.
I have been encouraged in knowing that who God made me to be is enough. I cannot let the fear of failure or inadequacy stop me from doing what he has called me to do. Before anything, I am a daughter of God. Nothing can take that identity away.
Before I create I am first created. And most importantly, when we create we do it to bring glory to God. I have to be honest with myself and ask whether this podcast is bringing glory to myself or to God. Am I trying to build a name for me or for him? We live in a world that is all about self-promotion and self-idolatry, but the sole purpose of our creativity needs to be serving God, through pointing others to him.
And so my prayer is that those of you who don’t think you are creative are inspired to find your creative gifts and use them, that those of you who are already creative are encouraged to continue creating, and that we are all challenged to use our creativity to point to the glory and wonder of God.
