Please Stop Telling Me This
"In the beginning God created the heavens and earth." Genesis 1:1
One of my pet peeves is hearing people say about themselves, “I’m not creative.” I hear it a lot in my profession. It’s a lie so many believe. I’ve begun to find great joy in pointing out to self-proclaimed non-creatives how creative he/she really is. Tell me what you have done during any given week, and I guarantee you I can show you how you exercised creativity.
The Bible says God made us ALL in His image. It doesn't say He made some of us in His image. He made us ALL in His image. Genesis 1:27
God's very nature is to create. Therefore, we were made to create. We are co-creators. He has entrusted us to do beautiful things on His canvas called earth.
Creativity is expressed in different ways by different people. It's usually only thought of as the ability to draw, write, dress weird (hee hee), play an instrument, paint with words or acrylics, photograph landscapes and the like. But it’s so much more. Creativity is used in math, management, raising children, farming, building snowmen, innovating, inventing, teaching, worshiping, welding, and every occupation I can imagine.
I believe some people are better at tapping in to their creative nature than others. We tap in to our creative natures when we un-crowd our minds, slow down, leave margin, think like a child, be easily amazed, press in, and commune with the source of all creation.
Sometimes we are forced to be creative. You know, like when we try to explain the virgin birth to our seven year old or when we search for a way to tell our best friend in a nice way the thing she wants to do is not the thing we want to do, but we still love her and all.
During this season, I am busier than I want to be with work. Tis the season, right? I start out with a whole lot of holly jolly and finish the season with my tinsel in a tangle. I begin to feel like my mind is in a cage and every thought is controlled by a to do list, a request, a demand, a problem to solve, an item on my agenda. I don't feel inspiring, creative, or imaginative. I feel stiff, chaotic, demanded.
But that's part of the problem...all of that is based on how I feel and not on what is true. Feelings lie, you know. They lie a lot. It's like the time I explained to my now eleven year old that creativity is like our big toe. Just because you aren't using it doesn't mean it's not there.
Having standing room only in our minds leaves no open space for creativity and imagination. When we lack time to express ourselves, anxiety comes, depression comes. Maybe it's because we are neglecting a very part of our God given nature. Expressive Art Therapy has been used for years and has proven to do wonders in the lives of participants.
There's something about creating. There's something about slowing down to breath.
Like my Daddy, I’ve decided one of my favorite verses is Genesis 1-1, “In the beginning God created....” Without that verse, the rest of the story wouldn’t be possible. You wouldn't be here, I wouldn't be here. No ocean, no sunset, no Jesus, no salvation, no forever and ever with our Savior.
So if you see me, please don't tell me you're not creative. I won't believe you, and I will spend more time than you probably want me to discussing how I think you are creative and persuading you to believe it about yourself. I know you don't want that, do you?
Seriously, I think the enemy wants God's people to believe they aren't creative. If you believe it, you won't try to create anything. You will believe you have no skills or abilities to do so. You will settle for mundane and monotony. You may even stunt your calling. So, in case no one has told you, you ARE creative. You are a child created in the image of the ultimate, limitless, almighty, can make something from nothing Creator of the universe. Creative is who you are!
Imagine what you can create if you start believing it’s in your DNA to do so!
#HeCreatedMe #HeCreatedYou #WeAreCoCreators #WeWereBornToCreate
