I'm taking an online journaling and class. Within the first couple of days, I was required to face some small fears. Tear a bunch of pictures out of a magazine. Pictures of things I like, places I'd like to be, and the like. I was then to make a collage of them, take a picture and put them up on the class website.
I felt the fear creep in when I started gluing the pictures down. The questions became, "Can I do this? Can I pull the picture back up if I don't like it? What if they don't all fit? What if it doesn't look good? This is an art class after all." And it went on. I was happy with the outcome and was equally happy to put it up on the page. And when I was finished, I wondered, "What was all that?"
As I worked forward in the class, the assignments have required my attention and have summoned even more fear. I'm a "nose-to-the-grindstone, work-it-out, whistle-in-the-dark type." In some respects, my perspective is to take it on and move through.
But, I'm keenly aware that fear might not be a gift, after all. There should be joy.
This morning I read from the Psalmist:
You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and wine. I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. -Psalm 4:7-8
Oh yes. The Author of my faith has given me greater joy. His perfect love is promised to cast out fear.
Perhaps I need to do what I'd tell my kiddos or you to do: Invite the LORD into the process. Sit at the art table (which in my case, is the kitchen table) and ask Him to reveal what His gracious Holy Spirit wants to reveal. Allow Him to work through this process with me. Leading and guiding me into the art He has for me to explore and execute.
Oh my, what would I have to fear in that?
I'll report.
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