DARE

My creating is for God as well. God remains the most fascinating and interesting of creative individuals ever; God has never stopped creating and expressing this glorious gift to us. Pablo Picasso wrote,"God is really only another artist, he made the elephant, giraffe and cat. He has no real style but keeps trying new ideas." My creating is a small expression of this gift in me, and I'm learning to create to bless the giver of the gift. As I find my contentment in pleasing God with this gift, I find I'm freer to explore and express myself. God's love doesn't judge my talent or lack there of, but sees my heart behind it, and this allows me to step out, and to fail and to succeed.

I remember reading a paragraph about the world's most unsuccessful song writer. He had written many songs (500 - 2000, I don't recall) and had never had one of them published. I actually thought he was quite successful; many people who could, never write one. Years ago I sat with a friend of mine and played some worship songs I had written, because he encouraged me too. These were songs to God from me, and they really weren't good enough for a broader audience. However, there was something in sharing them that was affirming to me and to the act of worship they represented. God was pleased in my offering, and my friend experienced some of that as well [and endured a bit too I'm sure]. When my focus is unto God, my work is always "good enough" whether I succeeded in creating what I was intending to or not.

I've taught this concept to a few groups and had them creating something out of clay while I shared. Rarely at the end did someone want to keep what they made. They usually examined what they made, mentally declared it not good enough, and deformed it back into a lump of clay. My words could not overcome their perceptions of failing.

An added blessing to me has been the growing interest by others in what I create. It does feel good to have others praise (and occasionally purchase) something I've made. The beauty I see (and overly critique) in the piece is being appreciated and enjoyed by another. I'm guessing this is like the pleasure God feels as we enjoy and relish his creations. It is wonderful to see this "life" that I brought forth touching someone else.

Two thoughts:
1. The ceiling--Always let God determine the height of your artistic ceiling, and not yourself or others (although there is wisdom in listening to their counsel!).

2. Always remember why--We create because we were made to... We create for an audience of One. Any receptive audience beyond God is like toppings on a dessert.

May your artistic expressions be full of life to you and your Creator!



(In case your interested, my expression comes through pottery, photography, and graphic arts primarily, and a bit of group song writing.)

Still?
In my last post I mentioned that I was on the way out of the dark night of the soul, and in many ways this is true. And yet here I am, much like before, both in and out of this time; grateful that life feels better and fuller, but growing ever aware that things could "turn" again. God really has been good during this season but it hasn't been fun.

These times are not about being fun however. They are about discovering myself, rediscovering God, experiencing the fullness of life. One can "manufacture" one's life at times and everything has the appearance of goodness, fulfillment, and joy. Yet anything that is manufactured will break at some point and what will it take to fix it? An assembled life is not life giving nor something to be envied, it is not fully real. Should we fix something that doesn't give life in the first place?

I was recently talking to someone who had walked through a dark night of the soul as well. In his experience he said he learned both who he wasn't and ultimately who he was. I'm into this part of the journey but haven't come to the conclusions yet that I think God is after. Hence, my partial-dread that there is more to come--partial because it is changing me and this is good. The man shared that it was seven years before he felt he fully came out of this period, and when he did he walked with a limp; needless to say I was excited by the prospect of potentially another six years.

As I wallow here a bit I am mindful of the greatness of God's grace upon my life. So many people are suffering, and living, through greater pain than anything I've touched. May they know His peace, His presence, His mercy upon their situations and lives! I find hope in knowing that God's light can penetrate the deepest and darkest of holes, His love the foulest and most wretched of situations.

All that said, I'm looking forward to a post with a different title.

Is God in the dark times? Various people have written about the dark night of the soul... the times when there are far more questions than answers, pain than comfort, darkness than light. Can God be in these dark times or are they something beyond or removed from God? Does God care or really see; is he involved or standing from a distant? More later.