Finding Inspiration, No Matter What

I saw this quote the other day, and this is what inspired (pun intended!) this post. It simply said “I write when I’m inspired, and see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning.”-Peter De Vries

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I LOVE this quote. Why, you ask? Because it shows the discipline of inspiration. It doesn’t always just flow out of feel-good moments. Sometimes, we have to work out our inspiration within the busyness of life. And what we make room for, continues to grow.

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A few months ago I was in a season that felt super dry. I felt more like a machine—feeding, cleaning, changing, working—all the beautiful things God has given me! Meanwhile, something was also wrestling for my soul’s attention! The expressions that make my heart come alive—creating and writing. I felt anything but creative and inspired. All I felt was exhaustion, and it was much easier to lean into the [very valid] excuse of being too tired to be inspired.

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It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I realized that life isn’t slowing down anytime soon, so I can either just give in to the busyness or I can choose to pursue the things in my heart all the while tending to my responsibilities. Andrew has a phrase he says “don’t turn your blessing into burdens.” And that’s another conversation for another blog. But basically, don’t allow the blessings that God has given me become a burden. It’s not either/or. It’s both/and. I can manage all the day-to-day duties and remain fully inspired and creative. It’s a discipline.

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So, the next time you’re feeling uninspired or you feel that you are just not a creative person, I want to remind you of a few scriptures.

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“𝙎𝙤 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙚, 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙃𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢; 𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙃𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.”

‭‭𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙨‬ ‭𝟭:𝟮𝟳‬ ‭𝘼𝙈𝙋‬‬

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We are created in the image of God, and in His likeness. God is a creator!! Hello!! So, if we are made in the image and likeness of a creator, that means that we too are creators. There is creative power and abilities wrapped up inside your DNA. The discipline of carving out time and making room to be inspired will allow that creativity to come to life.

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“𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠? 𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 [𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙧] 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨; 𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙣.”

‭‭𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙗𝙨‬ ‭𝟮𝟮:𝟮𝟵‬ ‭𝘼𝙈𝙋‬‬

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Your gift will make room for you. As you grow in your creativity and the skills that God has given you, He will give favor, increase and influence. Maybe you’ve already been experiencing this, but you haven’t realized that the things that you are naturally good at are actually part of your creativity. Don’t take for granted the gifts that come natural to you... They might actually be the very things that God wants you to grow deeper in.

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“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤 [𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙠 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙗𝙚], 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 [𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨, 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩], 𝙖𝙨 [𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚] 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙣,”

‭‭𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙨‬ ‭𝟯:𝟮𝟯‬ ‭𝘼𝙈𝙋‬‬

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Find your approval first in God. If you allow the praises of men to define you, then the lack of it will break you. I have learned this the hard way, and it has been a journey finding my way back to the main thing—what He says about me. His is the most important and highest valued opinion. Praise from men is great. But, can I give you a word of advice? Die to it. When you die to it, you are able to appreciate it. And, the praises of men won't carry the weight of your identity any longer. When we die to things, they no longer hold the power to control us. Work from your soul, put forth your best effort, for God. Then when the praises of men come—or don’t come—you will know that in Him you have given your best, and both you and Him are pleased with a job well done.

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So, practically, what are some ways you can be disciplined in your inspiration? I remember going to a songwriting retreat years ago, and one of the things we learned was to put it on the calendar. And four years later, I am just now finding myself putting this into practice. Why didn’t I do it sooner? I thought scheduling creativity somehow stifled it. But now, every day, I’ve been putting creativity on the calendar. For 1 hour every day, I sit and just create. I write, I listen to something, I look at something that inspires me, and I force myself to create. Sometimes people see it, and sometimes they don’t. But either way, I’m creating. And I must say, I haven’t felt this full and fruitful in a long time.

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𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱:

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•𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. It is amazing what God will reveal and show you, and the ideas He will give you while you take time to commune with Him.

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•𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 about something you enjoy.

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•𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰 that inspires you-worship, lo-fi, etc.

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•𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲, even if just for a season. This may not be the time to work yourself up to be strong enough to not fall into that trap. If you’re not there yet, keep working at it, but close the door until you can manage it. Comparison stifles creativity. It leaves you trying to live up to someone you weren’t created to be, and it keeps you ungrateful and unaware of what you already have. Manage your social media use or limit who or what you follow or look at it, if needed.

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•𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲. Know when to shut something down or turn off a distraction.

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•𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. It’s there, find it and call it out, and celebrate it.

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•𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴—walks at the end of the day, jotting down notes quickly in your phone—what is manageable that you can start doing now?

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•𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 who encourage you and fuel your soul.

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•𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 backed up. Share. Share your testimony, share your story, share the Good News. Your creativity and inspiration isn’t just for your pleasure—it’s first for God’s. Pour out on Him and pour out on others.

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I hope this was helpful, and if it was, 𝗜’𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿! Go, be inspired this week. Create. Do what God called you to do. The world will be a better place for it.

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-R 🖤