Three things that hinder your God-given abilities

We live in an incredible time in history.

A time where our ability to create is amplified by the plethora of resources at our fingertips. Yet, there are many stories of the imbalance between what people want to do and what they actually do.

You can probably relate.

Many Christians have struggled in this area even though we likely know better.

In last week’s post, I wrote about the scriptures that can inspire and propel our creativity. While in this other post, I highlighted some of God’s incredible creations.

Even though we are children of a creative God, we still falter.

Have you ever wondered why?

I believe there are certain things that hinder our creative abilities. I have focused on three unconventional enemies of your creative genius.

1. Dis-traction.
2. Dis-couragement.
3. Dis-ease.

You would have noticed that each word is a prefixed word. This is a word with an affix attached at the beginning that changes the meaning of the original word.

There are two powerful meanings of ‘dis’:

• To do the opposite of something or to cause the absence of a thing.
• A roman god of the underworld (Merriam Webster Dictionary).

While we are focusing on the former definition, you may note that the second definition is also instructive and provides some context as to the origin of the word ( I hope to write more on this BGG).

Three Unconventional Enemies of your Creativity

1. Dis-Traction.

Our creativity is fuelled by action and one of the best ways to stifle this is a distraction. This is the absence of progress.

Distraction can come in the form of – shiny object syndrome(S0S), procrastination, and laziness.

SOS – are you always moving from one project to the next, never finishing anything? Well, you’re not alone. Many of us like the thrill of starting something new which quickly fizzles out as we get to the messy middle.

Procrastination – this has become a recurring challenge for many in the 21^st century. With the influx of mobile phones and social media, it has become much harder to focus and do the things we should.

Laziness – this is a careless disregard for a task or activity. It is the act of one who encourages indolence. Laziness is a snare that has held many of us back, particularly spiritual laziness.

The Bible says,

A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things.”

Proverbs 18:9

Wow! ?

 

2. Dis-Couragement.

It takes a certain level of courage and faith to put our work out in the world. It requires a level of depth and knowledge of self (and especially of God) to create.

But the reality is that fear often keeps us away.

Discouragement is often fuelled by fear, criticism, and disappointment. It is a reluctance to pursue things because of a previous outcome or a potential outcome.

Another word for discouragement is dispiritedness which is a loss of energy, vitality, and courage.

We often use the word ‘discourage’ but I wonder how often we consider its true meaning. I certainly do not want to lose my vitality or zeal for life. How about you?

The Bible reminds us that:

…God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

2 Tim 1:7

Amen ??

 

3. Dis–Ease.

Here’s an interesting definition:

A disease is “a condition of the living animal or plant body of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms.” (Merriam Webster)

This means that the normal functioning of a thing presupposes ease. For instance, it often takes a breathing problem to fully acknowledge the ease that comes with breathing normally.

A disease is a disruption of our usual flow, including our creative flow. A mental problem or disease will typically affect our ability to think or the sort of perspective we take in a creative challenge.

Proverbs 4:23 calls us to “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”

 

How to protect your creativity

First things first – You were created to create.

We are co-creators with God.

This is a high honour and one we must steward with grace and wisdom. We are called to do on earth as it is in heaven. Isn’t that incredible?

To steward our creative genius, I believe there are three things we can inculcate – we pray, purpose, and prioritise.

Pray – It all starts with prayer. Pray for strength against distraction, for courage and boldness in the face of criticism, fear, and shame. Pray for wisdom and insight to know what God is calling you to and how to actualise this.

Purpose – Understand your purpose and the purpose of things. Know your why and hold on to this even when your creative project is stalling.

Prioritise – Make room for your creative pursuits. Schedule time to do your tasks and break them into manageable bits. As the saying goes – ‘what doesn’t get scheduled is seldom done.’