One of the most difficult pieces of working for me was the idea that creativity has evaporated. So, when a few weeks ago, I had the flash of creativity over a topic, my world was changed. For the weeks and months before I had thought I am “creatively dead”. (Even as I wrote this I hear the words, “unless a seed fall to the ground and die…” John 12:24)

Having that flash gave me a glimmer of hope. It has begun to grow. A few weeks ago I entered a contest at work with what I believe are “good ideas”, flashes of creativity. Now, the company may decide the ideas are not for them and that is their prerogative. Or they may decide they were good ideas and pay for them. In the end it will not matter what I think, but what they think. And that is okay.

I love creativity because it reveals God.

I often watch a TV program called Shark Tank. Regardless of what you think of it, it is the people who come forward to parade flashes of creativity come to reality. They run the gamut. Great ideas-great promise, bad ideas-no more and great ideas that require fine tuning. (Always amazed at the arrogance and stupidity, that goes before billionaires and rejects input. I am not talking about “low” offers. I speaking of the inability to hear! A few weeks ago I watched what was clearly a life changing invention, but could they hear? No… Deuteronomy 17:14-20 Israel still cries out for a king…)

Last week, I had another great idea. I let it sit a for a day or two. And then I put feet to it. No sooner had I moved on it than the Lord said, “you see it one way. But I am asking you for another…” “Uhhh…God you do see this piece of paper with the facts?” But I knew He was right and I would modify my thought process. (And when I reveal the project, you may see why…)

“Creativity requires the courage to let go of uncertainties.” Erich Fromm

Everyone has good ideas. How many are God ideas? I am not truly sure. But what I know about any seed of creativity, is it has the potential to be something great. We may need to define great on some levels. Because what is great for me, may not be great for you. A great may be the idea that changes a day while another type of “great” changes a lifetime.

“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it is going to be a butterfly.” Buckminster Fuller

Only this morning while studying, I read this. “Having pre-conceived notions of what your outcomes have to look like is the antithesis of creativity. Maintain a flexibility of mind to control for such rigidity.” Ouch! How many believe their way is the only way? I have been there and have the ticket stub.

Believe it or not, there may well be constraints and yet creativity can flow. (My workplace was one.) Imagine these words from Apollo 13. “Houston we have a problem”. No longer was it “land on the moon” but now it was “get them home”. They were constrained and yet creativity and good ideas abounded.

God constrained me on a project this week. But I trust Him. Constraint does not necessarily hamper a creativity any more than a playpen denies play.

Start having ideas. Lots of them!

The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas. Linus Pauling

I want to hear your ideas!!!