God, Can't We Be Creative Without the Angst?

I value creativity over many other characteristics or traits of people.  I admire creative people and strive to reflect creativity in my work and life.  There are a few little hang-ups with true creative talent that I want to skip, yet I want the benefit of the results.

God, Can’t I Be Creative Without the Angst

I always hear that amazingly gifted artists suffer with a certain amount of angst to motivate their creation.  I would like to avoid the angst part.

Innovators express a journey of many paths before finding the one that births their next great idea.  I pray often for God to make my path straight.  This prayer must come from the left side of my brain that reminds me that the closest distance between point A and point B is a straight line.

Then there is the subjectivity of the creative endeavor.  Art is subjective.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Creators must subject themselves to criticism, as well as the praise.

There is nothing like a few bad reviews, on something a person developed with their own mind or hands, to add to the angst.  It is a self-propelling circular at times.

A circular that can lead to creative block or that may cause some to keep their ideas, art, inventions and other creative expressions to themselves.  If I don’t share I won’t have to deal with people’s opinions.  And the world doesn’t get to experience the God-given abilities of so many creative hearts and minds.

Creativity is more than art.  Or art is more than painting, writing, dancing, etc.  Creativity can take the form of problem solving, organizing, business development, planning and almost everything we do in owning a small business.

1. Keep Focused on God’s Word to Inspire You

If you have started your own business in any format you are a creator.  You must tap into your creativity daily!  I haven’t figured out how to avoid all of the pitfalls of the creative process, but I look to Jesus and God’s Word to inspire me to continue to value and instill creativity in my life.

2. Add focus and structure to your creativity.

• In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 God was structured when he created the world.  He had a plan and began and finished different parts of the plan each day and didn’t stop until his project was complete. Then He rested on the 7th day!
• Jesus understood we needed focus when he summed up and prioritized the commandments into the two greatest commandments of loving God and loving others. 

3. Don’t give up – perseverance is key to finishing what you start!

• By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. Hebrews 11:30 (I would have quit on day 2 – sigh! )
• Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1Corinthians 9:24 (If that isn’t the goal, why bother?)
• 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. Hebrews 12:1 

4. We are created in God’s image – He is THE Creator – we are made to create.

• When we aspire to be more like Christ we glorify God.  This is our chief purpose!  When we create I believe it gives God immense pleasure. (When we create garbage, thankfully, He has the patience of the Holy Spirit and smiles anyway.)
• God gave us our gifts and talents.  He wants us to use them.  Through exercising of our gifts the Holy Spirit can work through us for God’s Kingdom.  (Do you want to hold out your gifts from God?  Eek, not me!)
• Fear and self-criticism are from Satan, not God.  Don’t let fear keep you from leading the life God has planned for you.  (I tell myself this one daily!)

As a Christian small business owner we are challenged in the creative process every day:

• How do I find good employees?
• What kind of end cap display will really sell this product?
• We need a new creative incentive plan.
• What should the new flyer, store, product look like?
• What new features can we add to our product?
• Can we package up our services in a different way?
• What is our strategic plan for the XY division?

We are just like everyone else, yet don’t forget our secret weapon.  We chose to turn our lives over to Jesus.  We are okay with being totally dependent on Him.  Okay, some of us still struggle with control, but go with me conceptually for now.  He has promised to work through our weaknesses.

Even if…..Keep Going!

So even if you don’t feel like the most creative person in the world….

Even if you are tired and scared by so called constructive criticism….

Even if your ADD is making it difficult to focus and follow-through….

Keep persevering and call on the Creator of the Universe for a little helping hand!

Do you have any other Godly wisdom to keep us creating to share? Please comment!