"O God, You have taught me from my youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous works." Psalm 71:17
BIBLICAL FAITHFULNESS
Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man? Proverbs 20:6
We expect faithfulness from God, but do we reciprocate?
I've often thought about what faithfulness would look like for me as an artist. Although it may sound simplistic, this is what I've come up with:
Quick and cheerful obedience to His promptings
Doing exactly what He tells me
I don't kid myself that this is easy, but this is the quality of faithfulness I'm striving to develop!
The Lord is also teaching me to not confuse diligence with faithfulness.
I sense that not using His gifts His way is being unfaithful—even if I worked diligently and the final outcome looked terrific in everyone’s eyes, including my own! Protesting His instructions, or varying them by doing them in a manner that seems appropriate to me, is not faithfulness. I'm reminded of how detailed His instructions for worship were in the Old Testament and how He rejected deviations from them.
Faithfulness to Him requires following His plans and purposes, fastidiously, with great attention to detail.
Of course, this assumes knowing what those plans are. The only way to know is by seeking Him in the pages of the Bible, listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and learning the fine art of being led by Him.
It takes a lifetime, but it can be made a little easier by learning from those who have already walked some of the way.
When creating art, I'm learning to not chase my own passions, nor prioritize the expectations of others. Instead, I've become acutely aware of the importance of waiting for His leading and following it. I've always hated waiting, so patience is an essential fruit of the Spirit. More waiting...as it is developed in me! Sighhh!
WHY IS FAITHFULNESS SO IMPORTANT TO GOD?
A faithful copy of a work of art looks almost like the original. Any significant deviation from the original would make it an unfaithful rendition. Copying implies admiration for the excellence of what is being copied and the desire to stay as close to the original as possible.
We are called to be imitators of God as dear children who imitate their parents.
(Ephesians 5:1)
In the world of creativity, when resources and choices are abundant, self expression is the norm. But as Christian artists, we are called to a distinctly different pursuit. As stewards of the King of Kings, His gifts and resources are to be deployed as He wishes.
You may not have much in resources or talent as an artist, or you may be well supplied.
In whatever state you find yourself, you have the precious gift of free will.
You possess the ability to willingly steward His resources, or not. When you choose His leading, He will empower you in ways you cannot imagine. There's nothing quite like finding that sweet spot of satisfaction in your creative life!
"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." 1 Corinthians 4:2
FAITHFULNESS REQUIRES FAITH
Creating art with the Lord’s purposes in mind can sometimes feel like a lonely journey and a challenging pursuit. It will also require an enormous amount of faith. The temptation to compromise or quit is constantly present. Few will commend your pursuit. More will be the voices that urge you into popular paths and easier journeys.
The Bible says that true faithfulness will ultimately become extremely rare and priceless. Jesus wondered if He would find it upon the earth when He returned!
"…..Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"
Luke 18:8
I want Jesus to find me full of faith and faithful. I know you do too, or you wouldn't have read this far!
Developing in faithfulness is not only necessary, but your future as an artist depends on how faithful you are today.! Small changes you make in your resolve to not compromise have the potential to revolutionize your future. Besides, there are blessings associated with faithfulness!
"A faithful man shall abound with blessings..." Proverbs 28:20
How that walk of faithfulness will look for each of us will be as unique as our lives.
God, who knows our hearts, is the only one who can judge its integrity.
I do know this, our smallest efforts are encouraged—He told us not to despise small beginnings!
We have a cloud of witnesses cheering us on— faithful Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Daniel.....and in the New Testament—Jesus, who is the best example of all!
They demonstrate that what God asks of us is not impossible.
So join me in this quest to become more faithful to the One whose faithfulness is what we stake our lives upon!
Comments