This one goes out to the creatives.
Have you ever felt that, in the face of all the pain in the world, in times of personal or corporate hardship, you struggle to use your talent? Or to use it how you’re meant to? Sometimes it feels like the moment a plight comes to light, singers, writers, creators of all sorts are impressed upon to use their talent to shed that pain in sharp relief.
I’ve certainly felt that way. I’ve even felt pressured to use my writing to invest in causes I didn’t agree with, my voice on the verge of being hijacked to suit situations that, quite honestly, actually were in direct violation of my beliefs.
If you have ever felt this way yourself, you are not alone. Not just among your fellow contemporary creatives…but in places like Psalm 137 we see the heart of this musician rendered so profoundly on the page. These words carry a deep pain…lyres hung up in the trees, abandoned rather than played to the benefit of their taunting, tormenting captors. These are folks choosing to keep the songs of their home country to themselves rather than let them be hijacked for their enemy’s amusement.
Creativity is a gift from God…I truly believe that. How we choose to use it can either be a reflection of Him or a reflection of ourselves. It can be difficult to sing the songs and tell the stories and render the art you’re called to when the world goads you to sing and tell and render however it best suits them.
Sometimes, the right thing to do is to set aside your instruments and the tools of your trade and let your cry to Yahweh be internal rather than external. You may enter a season of life where your creativity is expressed like a psalm—a cry from your heart straight to God’s, holding all the affliction you can’t let out any other way.
Other times, it’s right to bring your voice into the mix, to rise up, to help make sense of things with your creative talents wielded in the name of the One who gave them to you. With God’s guidance, you will know which time is which…when silence and communion with Him is proper, and when it’s time to speak up.
Don’t let the world convince you that you’ve failed them, yourself, even God by not speaking into situations where you aren’t called to; don’t sing for people simply because they demand it. Use your talent wisely and well…and let that artful action be a beautiful reflection of the One who gave it to you.
