Creativity in Your Quiet Time
Salvation is a gift…but intimacy is costly. My worship pastor said this phrase a lot at my church back in Kansas. It did not hit me what he meant until a couple of years ago: Salvation is something that we cannot earn from God, for once we accept Jesus into our hearts, he gives us the beautiful gift, and it is the inheritance of being part of God’s kingdom. We have been adopted by God, and from now until we pass, he has a spot for his children next to him in heaven. However, this is not where our journey ends with Christ. Indeed, having a relationship with Jesus requires sacrificing your time.
This can be a minor moment, such as taking 30 min out of your morning, afternoon, or evening to spend time with the Lord and meditate on his word. This can also be a significant shift, where he may call some of you to transition out of a job, break up with that person, or take a pause from the busy lifestyle we can so easily make for ourselves. It would be because he wants to spend more time with us, not just to reveal who he is but so we can reveal more of who we are to him. He desires our hearts first before calling us into doing a task, for Psalms 51:16-17 says, “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” But giving him our hearts will cost us our time, jobs, friendships, sleep, and much more; however, these are only temporary treasures that cannot compare to our eternal reward of being with him. So, how can we spend time with the Lord to cultivate a space and a rhythm of pouring our hearts into him and listening to his response? Here are a few that I can elaborate on:
- Journaling
Journaling is just another form of prayer. You don’t need to speak your prayers for God to hear you. He is so kind and near that the Lord can listen to you through the pages you fill with the outcry of your heart. But I encourage you to write everything in your mind just as you would when talking to him. God is too excellent and near to know that there is more than you just being OK. Write down what’s on your mind, describe to him the circumstance you’re in and how you’re feeling in the midst of it. After doing so, set the pen/pencil down and wait on the Lord. Sit quietly or play instrumental music and wait for the Lord to respond to what you just poured out to him. Then, as the years go by, you can look back on those moments when you were struggling in fear of the unknown and see how God showed up to you each time.
- Painting
For some people, God can speak to them through pictures, images, and visions. While journaling it out is good, others take a more artsy approach and paint out what God has been speaking to them on. Or, they paint/draw out what they feel is their form of communication with the Lord. Whatever it may be, even if you’re not an artist and want to try this technique, then do it. Invite the Lord into this space of creativity, and see where the holy spirit will lead you from the tips of your fingers to the tips of your brush, pen, pencil, or marker.
- Music
The Lord loves it when you praise and sing our prayers to him in song. It can be messy when your words don’t make sense, tears stream down your face, and you even sound off-tune, but God delights in all of it. You can start with a song in your heart and let the Holy Spirit guide your worship. That can be singing different songs from different worship artists, creating your music on the spot, and singing the chorus repeatedly. With this posture of intimate time especially, I encourage you to balance pouring out your
heart to God and praising him for his goodness and sovereignty because that is what worship (instrumental, not just lifestyle) is about. But do not hold back anything from him; let it all out before him and even be prophetic in your music, either through your guitar, piano, ukulele, or any other instrument. (Note: I use Guitar Tabs, where you can find free songs if you are a beginner learning piano, guitar, or ukulele).
- Nature
Sometimes, you need to catch some air and walk, sit by a pond, or hike a mountain, and there you can meet the Lord. Being outside in nature is beautiful because you are outside with the creator who created the breathtaking scenery to enjoy and witness his goodness. Here’s the catch, though: don’t listen to music, and try to bring a bag to put your phone in and watch whatever is in it so you do not get distracted. Take in the sounds of nature around you, let it fill your soul, and wait for the Lord to speak. If he doesn’t, he might want you to sit with him and enjoy being in his presence because sometimes we need that reminder of his nearness. Take advantage of Colorado, you all, because there are so many spots in this beautiful state to explore and spend time with the Lord.
There is no right or wrong way to be with the Lord. It all boils down to where he calls you to be in his presence. There may be a season of journaling in your time with the Lord, and then he may call you into a time of singing your heart to him. There are other ways than what I listed above to spend time with the Lord; I am most familiar with those. If anything, do something God has gifted you with, either talent or spiritual wise, and invite him into that space, but be intentional about it. Do not turn the time meant to be listening and talking with Jesus into something distracting. So, first, ask the Lord to reveal a unique way to spend time with him, and if you need to feel led in a particular way, then be creative in finding a fun way to be with Jesus.
