Creativity Requires Courage

Overcoming fear, sharing your ideas, and reflecting God’s creative nature

This may be dumb, but…

It might not make sense, but…

It may not work, but…

These are all phrases I’ve used to preface a creative idea with someone in my life. It always feels like I need to warn them that what I’m about to share may be silly, irrational, or unrealistic.

Why do we do this?

I think there are a variety of reasons, but it often comes down to fear—fear that the idea isn’t good, fear that it’s unrealistic, and also fear of rejection.

As I pursue creative projects, it requires me to share my vision with people who can help bring it to life. When it’s just me sitting with my ideas and dreaming about what they could be, it’s exciting. Inevitably though, in the moments before I send an email or hop on a call, I get nervous.

Will they understand my idea? Will they understand me?

Will they think my idea is good enough? Will they think I’m good enough?

Not only is there fear in simply bringing a project to life, but there’s also fear in sharing it more broadly.

• If you are an artist who has used acrylic and oil pastels to paint abstracts for friends and family, but now want to start sharing your work on social media, you may wonder if other people will think you’re talented enough.

• If you’re a photographer making the jump from amateur to professional, you may worry that others may think you haven’t been pursuing the craft long enough to label yourself as such.

• If you’re a writer like me, you may wonder if people will cringe at your attempts to share your writing more publicly.

While we can never control others’ actions or reactions, our creative calling is innate within us. We were made to reflect the creative nature of our Creator.

In Genesis 1, God’s creative nature is on full display as he separated light from darkness, formed land and sea, placed the sun, moon, and stars in the sky, and created living creatures to dwell on the earth.

Then, He created us, but we possess a quality unlike God’s other creations. We are made in His likeness.

So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27, NIV

Even if you don’t view yourself as creative, you are because you are made in the image of a creative God.

Therefore, you are called to pursue creativity, and no matter the creative project you are seeking or the size of your audience, creativity requires courage—courage to dream, create, and share your creativity with the world.

How are you feeling called to reflect God’s creativity? Maybe it’s something artistic like music or graphic design or maybe it’s sharing an idea for a new initiative at work, creating a flower arrangement as a centerpiece for your kitchen table, or your attention to detail while planning a fun trip with a friend.