If you haven’t been told lately, you’re creative. Whether you think so or not, you’re creative.

Whether it’s your full time job, a weekend hobby, or something you squeeze in once a month, you need to be doing something creative.

Your main gifting, talent, or skill may or may not be something creative, but in some capacity, you-are-creative and creative people create.

CREATED people create. You are God’s workmanship (Eph 2:10). His work of art created in Christ Jesus for good works/to do good things—both spiritual things and natural things. He created and prepared these things beforehand so that you could walk in them. So walk. Create the good things you see and imagine however you’re instructed or led or in whatever way in which you have a holy passion.

When we don’t create, there is often an unconscious, hard to articulate frustration that develops in us and the longer we go without creating, the more frustrated we become because we need the outlet.

So create.

Even if you’re the busiest person in the world, even if you’re a parent with 10 children and 2 jobs, squeeze in something creative while you have those 60 seconds in the bathroom, or for 5 minutes in the middle of the night while everyone else is sleeping.

Or be creative with your 10 children and 2 job – teach your children to be creative with you. You can cultivate a create-no-matter-what lifestyle in them also.

If you haven’t created in a while, or ever, and feel like you’ve got nothing in you, you do – those juices just need a little stirring. If you haven’t created in a while and don’t know how to start, one of the simplest ways is by getting in the habit of writing in a “CREATIVE IDEAS” notebook on your bedside or in your bag. And I say notebook because there is something powerful and more tangible about writing ideas and vision down and seeing them (Hab 2). Not only is it inspiring but creates a personal motivation and accountability. Recorded ideas more often sit there in your device remaining un-transcribed. On the other hand, know your strengths; sometimes hearing myself speak my ideas gives me more ideas.

Then, write every idea and vision down that pops in your head. If it’s a quote, 2 lines of a poem, an idea for architecture, a hair style, a new game, a new utensil, a drawing – ways to raise those 10 children – nothing is off limits. Some of your ideas might seem like junk, but all you need is one snowball to roll down the hill. If you begin to do that and make it a part of your life, it stirs up more creativity and creates momentum, momentum creates more passion and the NEED to create – consistently and more purposefully.

If you’re already creating and your ideas are getting dusty, the next step is execution. Allowing what you’re creating to get too dusty poses the risk of your momentum stopping. It’s time to start finding ways to follow through on at least one of your ideas. Possibly start with the easiest one and develop your creative muscles for more challenging projects. If you’re in a creative funk, switch to or do something fun, hilarious, crazy, differently creative and then get back to it. Sometimes we need a break. Sometime we need to just plow through the difficulties of finishing. In fact, get creative on ways to get through the difficulties.

If you are already creating and following through on your ideas, what are your next steps? Maybe it’s stretching yourself by executing even bigger projects; maybe it’s monetizing your creativity or collaborating; maybe it’s helping and teaching others (ala Ex 35:34). As Christians, we should always be mentoring and discipling in our areas of expertise. People should be following us for our spiritual maturity and our creative and business maturity. Sometimes the open door to the spiritual leadership is first, creative and business leadership.

If most or all of your life is already rooted in creative expression, pray about new levels and outreach and how it best serves others at this time in your life.

God gives us abilities both natural and spiritual. In most cases, we’re required to gain knowledge and develop our natural giftings until they become skills (ala Ex 35:30-33) but sometimes, He actually drops supernatural knowledge into us about certain things – even filling us with miraculous skill (Ex 35:35). Why? Because there are certain things He needs done by a certain time by certain people for certain people and purposes. The Holy Spirit may even prompt you to creatively use spiritual gifts.

Some folks receive one gift, some receive multiple gifts; whatever the case, we’re all responsible to exercise whatever comes naturally to us or spiritually appointed by Him – naturally gifted or not. There have been many-a-time that The Lord has assigned me something that I had no experience in but had the faith to learn and do.

Funny that what comes naturally to us is often what we don’t recognize as gifted. We’re sometimes so blind to God-given gifts that we dismiss them or see them as burdens. Our from-the-womb potential can seem so common and innate, that we don’t see them as special or unique. But someone who doesn’t have your abilities may see yours as extraordinary. Know that you have the responsibility of exercising and growing your own creative muscles and maintaining that strength. Exercise what God’s placed within you so others can recognize and receive from you and most importantly, so God can be glorified through them.

Your creations and your creating processes aren’t just for you, they’re for others’ benefit. Whatever you hold back, someone isn’t receiving. What you creatively share may be the inspiration, the help, the healing, or the life-saving expression someone else needs.

Pray that you’ll recognize your natural giftings, never stifle or compare them, and never take them for granted. Ask God to shape you into someone who would make themselves willing and available to Him no matter what your level of experience.

You may create with your hands, your voice, your words, your money, through teaching, through others, with clay or with code—whatever the case, utilize (Rom 12:6-8) them so that you don’t become creatively constipated. We all need a creative outlet. You need to be laughing, you need to be experimenting, and you need to be sharing the big or bit of creativity within you. Even if it’s with one other person.

God is Omnipotent and He, as Creator, is and pours out, never-ending creativity, and you were made in His image. You have access to Him and unending resources and ideas. Pray about this and trust that all you have and need is in you because of Him. Create and don’t stop creating. For God’s sake.

Thanks for reading!
Bless you and your creativity.

For more creative encouragement watch, HOW TO BE CREATIVE WHEN YOU HAVE NO TIME, below.