Creativity and Connection

Creating – when immersed in spirit – becomes a pathway 

toward a closer connection to God.

Sarah Stockton

Creativity is God’s gift to each of us. 

Using our creativity is our gift back to God.

Julia Cameron

How do we get close to God? We allow our senses, our minds and our very beings to be immersed in the things of God. Connecting with God cannot be just an analytical pursuit. Otherwise the core of our faith will be facts, rules, and behavior…rather than relationship. And one way to pursue that relationship is through creativity. Creativity that allows us to connect with God, and experience God, in new and different ways. 

Our creativity is accessed from our brain’s intuitive center; the “right-brain”. This center connects most to our five senses and also can deeply establish experiences in our hearts which result in great transformation. 

If we choose to invite God’s spirit to be with us when creating something, it puts us in a position to open ourselves to the Creator’s creativity within us. 

We often assume that creating only is for the “artist”, the person gifted to produce finished products worthy of awe or sale. God, however, has an invitation to each of us to create, and not always with a finished product in mind. He invites us to create as a way to walk with him, hear from him, and enjoy him.

Expressing ourselves creatively provides opportunities to have a personal and direct experience of God’s presence and unconditional love. It actually can be a sacred process of giving life to our understanding and experience while providing healing, wholeness and joy. In the process, we can align ourselves with the insights that the Holy Spirit brings to our attention. 

Twice in this past year I spent a month exploring creativity. Matt Tommey, an artist and entrepreneur, offered a daily prompt that challenged us to use different materials to create different types of art and to see what we might learn about our connection with God.

One day we were asked to choose a favorite scripture and express it in some type of artistic form. The picture you see is the one I created in response, based on Isaiah 40:29-31.

I’m not an artist by any means. Yet making this piece of art enabled me to express myself in new ways. Furthermore, the creative process brought a variety of questions to my mind as I thought about the verbs of the Bible passage: soar, run, walk. I found myself wondering, “What verbs describe me?”

Was I feeling raised up by God’s power? Did I feel his strength coursing through my body? Or, did I feel that I was running the race merely through persistence and obedience? Or, was I just hanging onto God, not feeling very fruitful or triumphant? 

These questions brought some soul-searching about my faith journey. As a result, the creative expression of this short section of Scripture became a pathway to help me understand myself more fully, and connect me more deeply with God. 

What kind of creative expressions can you try that would enable you to express yourself in new ways? To understand yourself in new ways? To connect more closely with the God who gave you – in some way – the gift of creativity?

Let me pray for you as you walk into your day. 

Dear Lord, we stand in awe of this gift of creativity you give to each of us; a gift that reflects your very nature. I pray that we will be encouraged to connect with our inner life and your spirit as we create. For those who feel a lack of skill, I pray that you would give them courage to step out and try some type of creative endeavor, reflecting on your journey with them as they practice being more mindful of you. Thank you for creating a pathway to connect more deeply with you, by using the gift of allof our senses. In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen. 

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