Comes at a Cost

 

To be a creative will come at a cost.  

• The monetary price in buying equipment to showcase more clearly what you see in your mind.
• Classes online or at the local community college to further educate yourself to better express the freedom poured inside.
• Workshops offered by local artisans in your field.
• Small groups in your special field of creativity that gather in person or online to challenge and encourage you to go further your art.
• Taking what is in your mind and transforming to a physical form.

 This will cost money and time.  As these items pass before your eyes does an emotional challenge pass in front of your heart?

 

• “ I am not a professional.
• Who reads or even cares what I post?
• Does anyone even care that I create in the first place?
•  Is this just a waste of my time?
• Do I have the RIGHT to spend family money on this foolishness? 
• Is all of this just pride filled actions pointing to me anyway?” 

 

Investigate my heart Oh God!

Do any of the previous statements tap dance on your heart, making it difficult to freely express what God has poured inside for you to share?  These statements are from Satan (the enemy of creatives). These statements are not the truth God says about you or about me.

 How can we go beyond the barriers we put around ourselves? Where did these lies start?  Do you see your creativity through this lens? Do you see yourself through this lens?

 Investigate my heart Oh God!

If you truly allow God to investigate your heart, concerning creativity, this process may go beyond the top layer of putting out a weekly blog, writing a newsletter, shooting a photo or putting paint to canvas.

Who is in control of your creativity?  Are you free to slow down and listen to God for:

• Who you create?
• What you create?
• How you create?

 

As I write this post, I hear God share these words to all who are reading this:

You are precious to me.

 

Unless you slow down and allow God to investigate your heart to reveal your deep needs, you will function and produce, but will you really create?  Will you be limited in your expression of creation and possibly life because you have not allowed God to release you from lies?

King David was willing to place his heart before God. His desire was to serve God with with no boundaries.  If there was anything blocking  that path, David said, “show me, guide me, release me, so we can walk together”.

 

23-24 Investigate my life, O God,

find out everything about me;

Cross-examine and test me,

get a clear picture of what I’m about;

See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—

then guide me on the road to eternal life.

                                                                                                   Psalm 139 The Message

 

Questions you can ask are :

• Do I listen to God’s guidance in pursuing His calling for me?

• Have I listened to lies said about my work? Have I taken those lies as labels for ME? ( Therefore, not listening to God’s Truth and Love for me).
• Have I listened to lies said about me? Have I taken them as labels for ME? (Also not listening to God’s Truth and Love for me).
• Does Fear or Comparison control my freedom to worship God through my Creativity? What will it cost to confront those beasts?

We are given a great opportunity to share the heart of the One who loves us so much.  In seeking freedom, are you willing to allow God to point to areas you are trying to keep hidden?

If you say “yes” to an honest investigation to God, the opening of your heart may lead you to creating in exciting wonderful ways you did not expect.

God is a LIGHTHOUSE as we travel in the dark, new places. The Creator of the Universe is walking among us.  On that path, we are able to not only confess our fear, but take His hand to finish the creation in us He began. Then, we in turn can share that love in a variety of creative stories.

21. Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor.

                                                                                       Proverbs  21. New Living Translation

We will continue to confront specific barriers and their strongholds in future posts. Share in the comments what counting the cost means to you, and how you have allowed God to investigate you heart to open doors for your creativity.

Is “counting the cost” a strange concept to you? Feel free to share your ideas concerning that as well. We are on this creative road together.

                         Be

                                      Free

                      To

                                            Worship

                      As

                                       You

                            Were

                                                Created!

---

 

I am going through two books right now. Tidbits from each one will be helping us walk the path in becoming Free-er as a creative artist and as a person. The titles are : The CREATIVE CALL  by Janice Elsheimer and A MILLION LITTLE WAYS by Emily P. Freeman.