”It is all to easy to fall into a rhythm of being comfortable all the time, even in our relationship with God. We forget that we are always learning, and always depending on our Creator. This exercise is to help you remember that being uncomfortable is an open door for the Holy Spirit. Before you even begin, invite Him to help you take a risk.
Choose an object to draw. Before you pick up your pen, sit for a while and look at the object. Pay attention to its form, its color, its overall posture. When you have spend a substantial amount of time looking at the thing, take up a pen and piece of paper. The goal is to create a blind contour of the object you are looking at.
In creating this drawing your eyes and hand will move as one. You will not pick up your pen from the surface of the paper as you constantly look at the object in front of you. The most difficult part about this exercise is that you cannot look at the paper you are drawing on, so the idea of drawing blindly kicks in. This exercise requires trust and willingness to be wrong as you consistently rely on your hand and eyes, leaving behind rationalization of what a form should look like.
As your eyes slowly move across the form, allow your hand to move the pen at the same speed. Your eye is the leader, simply let your hand follow. Don’t be afraid to feel out of control, it’s the most part of the exercise. Trust your eyes. Do not pick your pen from the paper! Let this draw to be a continual line. As you invest time into really seeing something, you will discover new things about the object. Although the end result may look like a mess or a mistake take a risk, and allow something imperfect to take on value.
Challenge your own definition of beauty.”
Maybe you wonder what is this?? Is a small fragment from Cultivate, a book that I am reading in this season. I was searching for a new devotional to read and my husband both this for me, knowing that this will be exactly what I need.
If you never heard of Cageless Birds you should definitely check their website. In my opinion, they are one of the most creative collective on the planet, that grows under the guidance of Jonathan & Melissa Helser, founders of Eighteen Inch Journey.
Cultivate is a book designed to help you tend the rich soil of your heart. It is an invitation to discover the beautiful process of growth that happens when we partner with the Father.
And now, you wonder what all this has to do with you, a worship leader, a pastor, a daughter or a son? Well… a lot!!
Whatever our job profile looks like, we are creative (I know this can be debatable, but humor me and let’s say that we are all creative) and this devotional is a good tool to help us grow our creativity and more important – to grow in our identity in Christ.
I choose this passage about the art of seeing, because as a leader, and more important, as a worship leader – you need to see the best in your team. You need to start choosing people with your spiritual eyes, and not based on their abilities (remember the story of Samuel and David’s brothers).
Choose people even if they only look like one continual line and believe that God will change them into a complete masterpiece.
See what they would become, and not what they are right now.
#thisbookisamust