For quite some time now I've been wanting to publish a post over why I write. My first post explains the beginnings and purpose of this blog, but in today's post I want to delve deeper into why I write generally-and not only the reason for my writing but also the purpose behind my paintings and other creations.
For all of you artists out there, have you ever thought on the reason for your art? Have you ever asked yourself why you do what you do?
I'm sure a book could be written with every reason why people create, but there is one main purpose that has captivated my thoughts lately. Deep down inside my soul, the creative part of me reminds me of the ultimate Creator.
It may appear simple at first read, but I believe there is much depth to this concept. It intrigues me greatly that something inside of me sets my focus on the One who made me, because when my gaze falls upon Him, my gaze is upon more than words can explain. When I am reminded of God, I am reminded of grace. When I am reminded of God, I am reminded of various types of love. Gazing upon God is gazing upon all things good. When an act that I produce reminds me of who made me, my soul is reminded of who I am made to be. As I paint, I get a glimpse of God's complex and creative nature. As I write, I realize what weight there is in each word, because within each word lies a potential to speak truth into this dark world in which we live. The ability to create is a blessing while the enjoyment of it is a benefit.
I am currently reading a novel called, 'Visioneering', by Andy Stanley, an inspiring and Christ-centered read on how to live a life with godly direction and strong purpose, a concept that he describes as engineering a vision. We all have dreams. We all have visions of what could be, but what makes the difference is when we decide that what could be is what should be, and when we decide that our visions have potential and purpose, we are able to take steps to turn those dreams into realities. I'm sure there are a lot of self-help books that exist today regarding leadership, purposeful living, and making dreams come true, but what I love about Andy Stanley is that his books are from the mindset of one who has, in his words, '...sworn allegiance to the Savior...'. For those of us who have taken on Christ, we have acknowledged that we are not our own. We have laid down our visions at the cross for the only vision worth living for-to glorify God. This decision should recenter our motivation for our creations, should it not? Take a look at Ephesians 2:10:
'For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them'.
God created us. He decided that his dream of what could be needed to be. He decided that we should be.We are a product of His vision! He gave us careful consideration and incorporated incomprehensible imagination to beautifully craft us into what we are, what we can be, and more importantly, what we should be. When I let that sink in, I realize that I am made to do good works. I am made to glorify His name and all that He entails. I am made to love.
I paint because I love it, but more than that I paint because it reminds me that I am made to love and be loved. I write because I have hope in the words I publish, but more than that I write because it reminds me of the hope I have in Jesus. I create because it reminds me of who created me, and He isn't finished yet. Until we are completely made like Jesus, we are pictures still in the process of being painted. We are novels in the midst of the writing process. We are albums being recorded and sweaters being knitted. We are a work in progress.
Taking it a bit deeper, we can even call every word and act of our lives an art. Not only are we creatively crafted, but we are also intentionally crafted, and that means we are made to also live intentionally. We are made for good works. In other words, we are made to be glorious. We are made to shine. We are purposed for a vision grander than any dream we could ever think up on our own. J.K. Rowling has a fantastic quote that says,
'What you write becomes who you are...so make sure you love what you write!'The same is true of every little aspect of our lives. What we think becomes who we are. What we say becomes who we are. The little bits of art we produce on a daily basis make up the whole canvas painting of our lives, and whether the picture is a beautiful one or an ugly one is dependent on what our gaze is set upon. Eyes open and lifted to the giver of light will paint pictures with clear vision, while eyes insistent on remaining in darkness or downcast will only produce a messy, chaotic picture. After all, how can one properly see where to go or what to do without a lamp to guide his or her way through the dark?
Every word and action reflects our hearts, so we should strive for our hearts to be after the only One worth loving. We should love the One who made us, because He is beautiful. We should love the One who is the wellspring of life, because He is good. We are created in His image. He beheld us as beautiful before we even knew who He was. He envisioned us. He saw purpose in us. If we are beings that contain potential to be beautiful, and we live lives that are meant to be modeled after goodness, then why would we want to live any other way?
