Our God is an amazing Creator. Not only did He make the heavens and the earth—everything that is seen and unseen—but He also instilled these creative abilities in us.
Like our Father, we get excited when we get to be creative. From the two-year-old with a chubby red crayon in front of a bright white wall to the twenty-two-year-old student with reams of fabric and several colorful sketches, to the person at the potter’s wheel, to the mom stippling paint onto the canvas—our ability to create comes from Almighty God.
Stories, inventions, sonnets, symphonies, screenplays, furniture, and even jewelry are inspired by the One with all inspiration. Like our Father, we are able to take what was once an idea and bring it into reality.
Not only did God give us the desire and ability to create, but He has blessed it. The One who gives all good gifts is also the One who inspires, enables, and blesses the work of our hands.
“And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.” (Ps. 90:17)
Our ability to create is not just an additional aspect of who we are, but an attribute the Lord gives for us to use and show forth His glory. One clear example from the Bible is recorded in Exodus. After the Israelites left Egypt, God spoke to Moses in extreme detail about His desire for His tabernacle. Not only did God know how He desired the tabernacle to look, but He knew the exact people He had given the skill to in order to complete the project.
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you.’” (Ex. 31:1–6)
God thinks highly of those with artistic gifts. He didn’t give us creative talent as an arbitrary addition to our lives. The Lord, who could have blessed us with any myriad of talents, specifically chose the talents and skills we have in order to build His kingdom, bring enjoyment to our lives, and glorify Himself.
Unfortunately, out of fear, we sometimes keep our creative talents hidden or share them with only a select few people. This is understandable. In our society, many creative people can have talent, a unique perspective, finely-honed skill, and something worth saying, but they encounter a constant barrage of criticism and negative feedback, which makes the idea of creating and sharing their personal work seem daunting.
However, the One who has the first and last word in our lives, the One who gifted us with creative talent, is the One whose opinion matters the most. His gift may not result in fame, fortune, or man’s approval, but we can rest assured that He wants His creative children to enjoy the gifts He’s given them and truly be successful. In fact, our Father wants us to be successful more than we want success.
It may take some time to remove the discouragement of negative voices and be renewed by the truth the Lord speaks over His children, but this can be done by looking to Him and standing on His Word. When we pursue God’s definition of success, we can encounter moments of applause or rejection without falling into into either pride or grief, because we know our true identity is found in Him alone.
Focus on the Lord
In Genesis 1, we see how God made beautiful things that speak of His character, nature, and capabilities. The Creator knows why He created you, and what books, recipes, song, or drawings you need to produce. He knows what you’re made to do and accomplish in this lifetime. He has an unlimited number of ideas He can put at your disposal. When we take the time to sit and meditate on truth, read His Word, and learn more about who He is, we are able to accurately reflect upon our Father, thus gaining insight and understanding. He is our unending inspiration.
Stand on Truth
Comparison can be a hindrance for many people. The accuser hurls doubt, fear, and lies to bring about discouragement related to a person’s God-given ability and talent. In those times, it’s important to believe the truth that God speaks. Our good Father gives us good ideas, good talents, and good skills. He doesn’t bless us with gifts in order to bring unnecessary challenges into our lives, nor does He want to leave us in a state of discouragement and confusion over our purpose. He has a place for each specific gift to fit into the body of believers. Every gift is an asset that will lead to Him receiving glory.
