This morning I was walking along the beach thinking of how hard it’s been for me to share my ideas and creative thoughts. It used to be that whenever I got an idea I’d honestly be afraid to share it with other people, as if that act would poison it and kill the idea. So I preferred to hoard my ideas in my own head to wait for the perfect moment of release. I’d save, save, save and save some more until eventually there was no good time and the idea died out on its own because I didn’t nurture it or take action. And to make matters worse, the fear of sharing ideas was also blended in with this other irrational thought that if I write it down and share, then that will be all that I have and nothing new will come to replace it so I’ll just be giving everything away.
But somehow in this activity of walking on the beach this morning, I had a thought that it’s holding on to the ideas that keeps me from having more ideas. I don’t need to be afraid to let go of creative ideas or to be afraid of expressing myself creatively. More will come. It doesn’t make sense for creatives to be hoarders – we can share freely. Something about seeing the waves repeatedly crashing against the shore reminded me that God never holds back.
The waves just keep coming one after the other, some larger than others, but they just keep coming. More ideas will come. More inspiration will come. When I pour out what I have, there will be more that comes. The verse that came to mind is from Matthew 25:29 (this is from NLT):
“To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.”
As I keep stewarding and releasing what I do have, my capacity and output will increase! Yes and Amen! That’s my word for the day!