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There’s one school of thought that believes that artists are born with their talent

There is another camp that believes that artistic talent is something that can be taught and not something you’re born with. They believe that if an individual has the desire and dedication to “learn what it takes” to be an artist, that they can become that. Some even say that we are all born with the creativity that artists eventually all share, and that God-given talent to a unique few is not the case. They we grow apart from are artistic talent, and anyone can regain that talent if they study, train, etc.

Tony at about 4 or 5 years old

My personal memory concerning this goes way back to when I was in kindergarten (yes, I can remember back that far!). My kindergarten teacher, Ms. Hunt, asked our entire class to draw a portrait of her as she stood at the front of the class. I’m not sure what the others drew, but I clearly remember Ms. Hunt looking at my work after that exercise. I also clearly remember her always setting me apart during every drawing assignment from that day forward in class.

Now, not to sound as if I was better than anyone else, but did Ms. Hunt detect a unique pre-ordained ability in one of her students? Something that set this one apart from the other 4-5 year olds?

So, share what you think about it in the poll below:

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“God never commits to talent, He commits to character.

He is in what you’re becoming, not what you’re doing”

If you spend more time being busy at your craft at the cost of time spent in the presence of God, you actually put yourself more at a loss than gain.

God can do more with a slightly talented, inexperienced designer who is sold out to Him, than he can a well experienced design “guru” with little-to-no time in His presence.

God’s goal for you is to become more like Him in how you think, act and live. How you use your God-given talent after that will fall in line.

Isaiah 64:6 says that even our work creating “Christian art” or other good deeds are just like filthy rags apart from a real relationship with God:

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…”

Luke 10:38-43 also teaches us that quiet timespent listening to the guidance of the Spirit of God is more needed and of more value than being busy and forsaking that time at His feet in order to crank out that next project:

“The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village. When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said. Martha was worried about all that had to be done. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, Lord, doesn’t it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!’ 

“The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her.”

For you as an artist or designer to make a supernatural impact, you must first spend quality time making an impact in your ways becoming the same ways as His.

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Think about a time when you were given the chance to do a creative project, commission or gig that was a pretty big opportunity. Now picture it as one of those projects that you knew would be almost too much of a challenge, be it skill, time, initial investment or whatever.

You know that feeling you get when you now that the opportunity’s yours, but it will take you really digging down deep to pull it off? Almost a feeling of inadequacy.

You are excited at having the opportunity, yet you know that it’s out of your league.

Welcome that feeling! It’s an indicator that the stage is set for God to show up. An indicator that your creative talent is about to be used in a way that will prove only God can do it.

Being Able to Do What You Can’t Do:

If you’re an artist that has decided to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, you can be confident that God’s power and ability is made perfect when the odds are stacked against you.

It may sound crazy, but you can actually welcome that feeling of inadequacy. Now, this is not to say that lesser quality or craftsmanship is to be expected from or delivered by the Christian artist. Nor is it to say that training and practice are not needed. On the contrary, this may be the method of preparation for when God works through you.

When you, the artist, are weak in human ability, you can be strong in divine ability:

God can accomplish more through your weakness that you ever could at full strength on your own. His Word teaches us the following:

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

So what steps do you take to make it happen?

First and foremost, you must have a relationship with Jesus Christ in order for this to work. This principle is not earned, but an entitlement of that relationship.

Prayerfully acknowledge God’s promises through scripture: I encourage artists to pray before embarking on the next project, especially the project that seems to be “out of your league”. Study the scripture mentioned above and others like it. Pray for God’s fulfillment of those scriptures (His Word) in your life. He promised it to you, that’s why He wrote it down!

Take action and walk it out: When you sense that God has opened a door or presented an opportunity, take action, being confident that He will fulfill His Word. Be sure to learn what God directs you to learn, practice what He presents to be practiced, and simply prepare yourself to be ready when He opens that door for a project that can only be accomplished under His ability through you.

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It’s called The Cross Collaboration, and more than thirty people from Coast Hills Community Church made their own unique designs of the Cross for a Good Friday Service. Made of all sizes and materials, each cross tells the beauty and brokeness of Christ’s Cross from a unique and personal perspective. See it for yourself:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Share your thoughts and feedback. Do you have a Visual Arts ministry in your church?

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