The reason for my sabbatical is that I felt God speaking to my heart - about priorities and about "hungering and thirsting after righteousness", about seeking Him first and His righteousness, about having no other gods before him. He is my first love and He must be first in my heart. I realized that art and blogging and the opinions of others had taken first place in my heart. Art had taken over as an addiction, occupying a place in my heart and mind that only God should have - the throne of my heart. So I laid my art at his feet and I walked away from it. I asked him to purify it and make it holy before giving it back to me. I want my heart's desire and delight to be Him.
Art is a GIFT from Him - pure and simple. My ability, my talent, and even my passion for art are all gifts from Him - every good and perfect gift comes from the Father.
I have learned and experienced much during the past couple of weeks. I have worshipped Him more. I have made up songs of praise as I drove the car this week. I have felt His presence and I have heard His voice clearly because my thoughts were not consumed with art and painting and blogging. I have channeled my creativity this past week into making up recipes for my family. I cooked almost every night and I enjoyed it so much.
I want God's will for my life. And I feel that there is a book within me that needs to be written. I don't know how or when, but I sense that there is more than just making paintings and sketches and blogging. I want my blog to be about my journey with my Heavenly Father as much as it is about art. I also have a passion for reading Christian fiction and for books in general. I have a habit of writing in a journal - recording my experiences with God and also working through issues that are troubling me. I have a dream of somehow putting all those experiences from years of journals into a book - I'm not sure if it will be fiction or what. It's a very new dream and I really don't quite know how to go about making it a reality. But...
If I commit my works unto the Lord my thoughts will be established, according to Proverbs 16:3. And Psalm 32: 8 says, "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye."
I wanted to share this because the truth of it may touch someone else and because maybe I needed to share it.
I'm excited about what next week will hold and I admit that my heart longs to pick a brush or pencil back up and sketch. I will but it will be with a whole different perspective. A newness and a reverence for the God who created me and for the gift that He gave me by making me an artist. Oh how I thank Him for that gift!
"What you are passionate about was created in you to make a splash in this life that no one else can make. Make it. Make it now." - Nicole Johnson, Fresh Brewed Life
3 comments:
Deborah, this touched my heart: "Art had taken over as an addiction, occupying a place in my heart and mind that only God should have - the throne of my heart. So I laid my art at his feet and I walked away from it. I asked him to purify it and make it holy before giving it back to me. I want my heart's desire and delight to be Him." Wow...I couldn't agree more!
In 2007 I wrote a short piece you might find interesting. http://deborahsecor.blogspot.com/2007/01/isaiah-662-4-christian-who-is-artist.html
Kindred spirits, indeed, not to mention sisters in Christ. :)
Thanks for sharing!
And now I know why you stopped using your gift for a while. We do need to have our priorities straight, that's for sure. But can I ask what you would say about a musician who spends hours practicing and thinking about his music? How about the choir or organist at your church. How much time would you expect them to put into their craft? Would you expect a ballerina to only spend a couple of hours a week at her dancing? Why do artists feel like any time spent drawing is too much? Yes, you draw during your lunch break and maybe even during your evenings. Would it be better if you read a novel which is someone else's art? or watch TV which is someone else's art (or not depending on your viewpoint)? Besides work and family, art IS your gift so why not do it? I guess I just don't understand. I would think God would be happy you are so happy with the gift he has given you. I would think he loves to see what you are going to come up with next. Just something to think about. I am sure I am not expressing myself well here.
Post a Comment