Unbeautiful joy
One of the greatest barriers to creativity, or specifically, creative expression, for me is the motivation to do something…to do something that’s good and that will draw the awe and inspiration of others. But if that becomes the central focus, then no sooner than I have started, I have failed. And this is because I can never be certain of what others will think of my work…or, me.
The Lord Jesus experienced delight and joy when he worked with the Father and the Spirit in the creation of the world, a collaborative curative process that envisioned the world and everything in it.
What emotions typically qualify my creative process? Who are my fellow co-creators? What are my intrinsic motivations to create?…As meaningful as these questions are, all these once again focus on me. But the joy of creativity comes with…with the Creator, being at the disposal of the Creator.
Prayer
Dear Lord, let me not get so caught up with what I am doing and merely its results. Help me to remember that apart from you I can have no joy. Real creativity is qualified by inexpressible joy–the same joy that you had before the foundations of the world and that you set before yourself when you went to the Cross. From today let my sole and awesome motivation be your joy, the one you have for me when you created me from before the foundations of this world to be holy and blameless, and thereby creative. For your glory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen
Then I was constantly at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.
the bible, Proverbs 8:30-31 (NIV)
Scripture passages for your creative inspiration:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
THE BIBLE (NIV), Hebrews 12:1-3
