Excavating the Flowing Current
written by: Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! ”
One of the greatest quotes in Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way is by Leo Tolstoy, “It is within my power either to serve God or not serve him. Serving him, I add to my good and the good of the whole world. Not serving Him, I forfeit my good and deprive the world of that good, which was in my power to create.” One of the most significant challenges to our creative ability is the belief that we are worthy of producing something valuable. Not because of our talents, but the gift of God’s Spirit creatively moving in and through us.
Cameron calls us to excavate our consciousness. We excavate our consciousness through our Morning Pages. We excavate through inviting creativity into our prayer life. Cameron calls us to become more patient. She says, “The shift to spiritual dependency is a gradual one.” But over time, it gradually turns into something monumental. This gradual excavation of our consciousness, Cameron claims, flows like a river. This current, or river, is a flow of grace moving us to our right livelihood, companions, destiny.”
Most of us become disillusioned or creatively stuck because the flowing current isn’t fast enough to our liking. We begin to question ourselves and become frustrated. Who we are frustrated with is God! God isn’t moving the current of our creativity fast enough. In these moments of frustration, we need to ask, “Why am I so impatient with God’s pace?” Why isn’t God allowing me to accomplish something fast enough? If we excavate that question, it often ends up being a selfish desire rather than a desire to honor God.
Today, excavate your motivation for why you want to utilize your creativity. Then, seek to find out how God is calling you to serve through your imagination. Prayerfully consider what producing something valuable means in your life and in God’s expectations for you. As we focus on these fundamental questions, our desire to honor God will fill our hearts, and the current of God’s creative force within us will be our guide.
