Joy is Essential to Your Creativity.

Joy is essential to your creativity. In a world full of cynics and skeptics, we cannot forget the true nature of joy, and the deep value of joy. Without joy, your creativity will never be what it was meant to be, your imagination will never fly the way it was meant to fly, your art will never have the eternal impact you were called to have, and your life will never be as vibrant and alive as you long for it to be. It is one of the things you will never hear in an MFA program, or an MBA, and yet to be a successful artist and entrepreneur, it is essential!

But what is joy, where does it come from, and how do we maintain it in our life as a creative?

1) Happiness is not a substitute for Joy

First, we must acknowledge the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness comes from external circumstances like achievements, or a new watch, a new car, or a surprise gift from a loved one. These are good things, but we need to recognize that this happiness is temporary. The source of our happiness is always external. Therefore, the pleasure is temporal.

Consider the little things we enjoy on a regular basis. We can enjoy a delicious meal, with all the wonderful textures complimenting the complex flavor profile. This can be quite fascinating in the moment, but it isn’t sustainable. The next day, week, or month is not filled with more meaning and satisfaction because of one meal. When things change and you return to that same restaurant, but the food is horrible. Your happiness is now tainted. It isn’t long-lasting. It is fleeting like a vapor in the clouds. It has no permanence.

2) Joy is rooted deep within the soul.

Joy is quite different from happiness. From a Christian perspective, joy is rooted in our relationship with God, and the work of the Holy Spirit. It isn’t something that is here today and gone tomorrow. It is not fickle or temporary. The joy of our salvation, and in the love God has for us is based on truth, and anchored in spiritual truth.

This joy is rooted deep within our soul, where we once were fighting shame and guilt. As we give our shame and guilt, and bitterness to Christ, our heart is transformed and God’s love flows into our hearts, allowing the joy of the Lord to grow and grow within our hearts.

It isn’t something fleeting, but it also isn’t something we can manufacture. This joy is the result, or byproduct of this profoundly deep experience of the love of God. Consider the words of Paul to the Galatians about the fruit of the spirit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

-Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

Joy is the fruit, and therefore is evidence of the spiritual transformation already occurring within our heart and soul. The more we examine it, the more we realize that this is a by-product of a deep relationship with God and therefore it is fueled by something internal and spiritual in our life.

3) Joy and the Life of the artist.

Life-changing art comes from a transformed heart. The world is longing to see what it is like to be whole, content, joyful, creative and generative. Whether other artists and patrons tell you this or not, their soul is longing for heaven, and in that longing they are looking for someone to provide a glimpse of what that looks like. They may object because of pain, shame and suffering. But they cannot deny the way God made them, and the yearning God placed deep within their soul for a relationship with that great artist, God himself.

Joy within your life and your art becomes a powerful witness. In the world we live in so many people are cynical, skeptical and depressed. They want to hope in something but have given up. They need another human to connect with them and to give them hope. Your art and creativity can bridge that gap.

As an artist, your talents depend upon a fresh source of creativity, inspiration and imagination. You cannot afford to be wallowing in shame, which cuts off your ability to think clearly or creatively. You cannot afford to be questioning whether you are loved or not. When you know you are loved, you can let go of the words of the critics or frustrated fans, and you can create with passion and conviction.

Part of understanding your calling as an artist or a creative professional is connected this idea of joy, and your relationship to God, who is calling you. We have an online course called the Artist’s Online Calling Course available for creatives seeking clarity about their calling. Be sure to check it out HERE.

4) How do we Cultivate Joy?

Rejoicing in the Lord is essential to cultivating joy. It is no accident that the Psalms model for us the value of praising God. If we understand what wonderful things God has done for us, we should express our gratitude and gratefulness toward Him. This is why there is a consistent exhortation to praise Him, to shout to Him with our thanksgiving, and to give Him glory and honor through our worship.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

– Philippians 4:4-7. (ESV)

Community is essential to cultivating joy. There is a stereotype of artists being alone, but we all need community. Along with rejoicing, the Bible assumes we will gather in community with our brothers and sisters in Christ to do life together. We were not designed to be alone. We need brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage one another along the way. We also need to hear others praise God and give thanks, just as they need to hear our stories of God’s faithfulness.

Serving others is essential to cultivating joy. Just as Christ loved us, we are called to love others sacrificially. There is something powerful that happens in our hearts when we serve others. Though we are giving of ourselves, somehow our hearts are filled with a deeper, more profound sense of meaning and hope. Even our art is designed by God to offer us a way to love and serve others.

Prayer is essential to cultivate joy. Intimacy with God is found through prayer. Like a relationship with a spouse or a close friend, how can we get to know each other unless we share openly what we are going through? Of course, God knows your struggles, but the act of you choosing to be vulnerable and transparent, opens up your heart to experience His love and changes your disposition from distant observer to intimate worshiper of God. The transformation happens in you, and that changes the nature of the relationship as it changes your heart.

5) Overcoming Challenges to Joy

One of the key obstacles to joy is doubt. When we keep doubting and refuse to trust in God, our joy will shrink. This is part of exercising our faith. Once we come to know the Gospel we need to realize we will be tempted to doubt, to become cynical and skeptical. But, no matter what it takes, we must not let those voices take over. Whether we need to read books, or find friends to help us think it through, it is critically important that we overcome those doubts and choose again to put our faith in the Gospel.

Fear is another key obstacle. The more we allow fear to dictate our decisions, the more our joy will be quenched. Fear, after all, is a form of worship. We give power to the things we fear, and make decisions out of fear because something else has captured our heart. This means our heart is not fully captured by the Gospel. If this is true for you, you need to preach the gospel to your heart, and find friends who will preach the good news to your heart also. Then you need to embrace it, and hold on to it. Satan wants you to be crippled with fear, but God has not given you a spirit of fear, but a spirit of his beloved sons and daughters. This is the truth we need to hold on to and not let go.

Trials are the third challenge to our joy. We know everyone faces trials. It happens to the just and the unjust. What sets us apart is not whether we face trials or not. We all face them. What sets us apart is how we respond. If we thought God owed us something, we will fail. We will become bitter and more selfish. If we realize that trials are a form of training, we will change our perspective. Then we will approach the challenges with humility and a desire to honor God in every season of life.

Conclusion

Joy is essential to your creativity and to your life as an artist. People forget that God created you and designed you to experience this joy. It is not an add-on to life. It is intended to be a central part of your life. It is also meant to be evidence of your life in Christ. There is no place more evident than when Paul describes it as the fruit of the Holy Spirit. In other words, the fruit is evidence that God’s spirit is within you, and you are growing up in Christ, becoming more like Him. A joyless Christian is an oxymoron. Joy is part of the Christian life. As an artist or a creative, this joy fuels your creativity and your imagination. It is not optional. It is essential. With that in mind, consider what you need to do to experience more joy in you life and in your art. Ask yourself:

What are you going to do to cultivate joy in your life and in your creative endeavors?

Do you need to let go of fears and doubts?
Do you need to repent of sins that have killed your joy?
Do you need to worship God and preach to your own heart of God’s goodness?

What will you do today, to let go of what is ungodly or unhelpful, and to start doing what it takes to experience the joy of the Lord, today?

Put your answers and comments down below.
I look forward to interacting with you.

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