Creative Thinking: The key to unlocking your potential
When did creativity become a means to an end? Gone are the days of playful activity, see you later hobbies, hello career, and let's go productivity... In a culture where artists are sought after and then monetized, creativity is a valuable. It’s no wonder we experience burnout. Tired when we can't think of content. Frustrated when we fail to meet our goals. Disappointed when our work goes unnoticed. Afraid when it doesn’t provide. We are left spent and tired and wondering why we create at all. There’s enough noise & distractions in the world. Why are we adding to it?
If you're ever experiencing those moments, it's really good to think about the beginning & the end.
What's the End?
What if you quit? Or rather, What keeps you from throwing in the towel?
What's the Beginning?
Why did you start in the first place?
These two questions remind us of the curious energy that sprang out of us when we were just kids.
Creativity always begins as an involuntary response to the world around us.
As creativity weaves in and out with our identity and livelihood, we forget its value. We think everything must have a practical purpose – but isn’t life more than a series of choices and efforts? We’ve forgotten that pleasure isn’t sinful & we struggle for ways to justify what brings us joy. When we start seeing creativity as a means to an end, we forget that it was often small, childlike moments, that led us to God’s presence.
When we approach creativity as a worship, experiencing God’s presence is placed at the center of our process.
God desired to walk with us in the Garden in the cool of the day. He wanted to watch us name the animals. He wanted to enjoy us, and for us to enjoy him. When we create, even something as simple as a meal or post something on Social media we are fully present to God's presence. It calls us back to the childlike contentment of spending time with a parent. By laying down our burden of needing to be needed and surrendering our longing for significance. We don't need to earn anything to be alive. We are here because He created. It's our privilege... We get to declare that any activity with God is sacred, no matter how minor it may seem to the outside world. We are free to enjoy creating because we know that every good and perfect gift comes from God.
So much of the story & creativity begins in the quiet places of our lives. Sitting in the stillness of nature thinking & dreaming. Playing music in a quiet room while singing your heart out. Writing words that carry more than just definitions or syllables, but hopes and dreams of things to come.
Quiet moments & spaces give us the feeling that God is present within our space & time. Maybe those times felt like a struggle or intense conversation with God or ourselves. Nevertheless, we were spending Time with Him. We were experiencing change & growth.
Let’s not give into the struggle of having to make our creativity world changing or productive. Find a way to spend time in His presence. Creativity is a way of worship, connecting with the one who is the master creator of all.
