The Messiness Of Creativity

The process of creating is, for me at least, a very messy one. It usually includes paint stains on all of my pants, remnants of glue and ink on my hands, and tiny pieces of paper scattered all over my nice black carpet....

For the past few days I've been working on a project for my small group, which means despite the fact my laundry is folded and put away, the dishes are all done, and for once there's no suitcase half packed in the middle of the floor, my cute little studio looks like a tornado hit it. But honestly, there is no point in picking up the paper and sparkles and random cuteness that will soon be used to show my friends how much I love them. In times like this, I spend every spare minute ripping, gluing and stamping, so if I were to pack everything up and place it neatly in it's home, I would loose precious time that needs to be spent creating. So this morning as I was making my breakfast and looking around at all the beautiful things waiting to be accomplished and remembering how a good friend stopped by last night and understood my chaos, I realized how the physical process of creating is so like the spiritual creating God does in me. You see, like my paper covered floor, my life is scattered with the possibilities of beautiful things God is creating out of what looks like chaos. We all have this beautiful invitation from God to open up the doors of our hearts and invite Him to do what He planned when He made us the unique way He did. And at the initial moment when God starts to create something new in us, there is an excitement. The chaos never threatens to embarrass because we are so full of hope at what God is doing. Just like my home: when I first started to break out the glue and the paper and the ink and I was in the full out "creating beauty" phase of things, if someone had come over and see the mess both my place and myself were in, I wouldn't have cared. I was too overwhelmed by the possibilities of what could be. But then four days later, project still unfinished but supplies strewn on every flat surface available, I feel compelled to apologize for the mess. I think the same can be said for our lives. When God starts a new thing in our us, we are pumped. There is the excitement of the new. But then over time, we often look at where we are and where we hoped we would be by now and we are tempted to apologize: to explain to others that there is a reason for the seeming chaos we are enshrouded in. But honestly, that temptation is crap. Creativity is a messy process... Construction of any kind leaves a mess until completed... Only the artist sees the finished project where others see chaos... So today, however God is working in your life, wherever you are tempted to apologize for the mess that ensues you, stinkin amazing and He has a unique set of stuff in your life and personality for a reason. STOP. Don't apologize and certainly fight the need to explain. If you have given your life to God and are trusting He has all your steps written and is working all things for your good, you are where He wants you to be. He has a plan for you that is so beyond amazing. Embrace the areas of your life that from the outside look like a hot mess because God is using it all the show the world the masterpiece that he already created when He created you....