You Are Not Your Art

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about who you are? Often, my mind immediately responds with, I am a writer or an author. I believe that many creatives respond the same way to this question. We are quick to define ourselves as artists or creatives, forgetting that this is only a piece of our identity.

I was nearing the final year of my undergraduate degree program when I realized the problem with how I defined myself. This revelation snuck up on me, appearing through thoughts of self-doubt as I struggled to write my novel. I was pursuing something that I believed God had purposed me to do. Yet, each writing session was a battle. I was gripped by fear and failure which only descended me deeper into my creative block. I felt like I was not living out my calling, that the essence of who I was had been lost.

It was through this struggle that God began to teach me something I believe every Creative needs reminding of: YOU ARE NOT YOUR ART.

Who We Are

Many of us have tapped into the worldly philosophy that preaches that our identity is founded upon what we do. It tells us that the essence of who we are is entwined with how we spend our time, what we create or produce, or what activities, groups, or causes that we give ourselves to. We wear our passions like our skin. We build the foundation of ourselves upon our abilities and interests, things that are fading and ever-changing.

But are we not far more than what we give our time to?

The Bible is very clear about who we are as humans in light of Creation and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Throughout the entirety of Scripture, it’s emphasized that we are first and foremost children of a living God. We were created by God and for God. Through Jesus, we have been officially adopted as children in God’s eternal family. As it says in Romans:

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” Romans 8:14-17

This ought to be the foundation of who we are. This needs to be the place from which we create. Yet, many of us do not. Instead, we adopt the belief that our identity and our worth are based on what we do. This is a false gospel. We have worth because God created us. We have worth because Jesus died for us and adopted us into His eternal family. You are not valuable because of anything you have done. Your performance means nothing in light of God’s amazing grace, bought to us through Christ’s death and resurrection.

You are not the music you produce, the films you direct, or the novels you write.

You are first and foremost a child of the Most High.

The Problem of the Creative

Our creativity is important. It brings us immense joy and fulfillment. For myself, it is through creating that I commune with God in a unique and intimate way. My creativity is an expression of my Image-Bearer identity. But, ultimately, this is only one aspect of who I am and one of the responsibilities God has called me to. It is a small part of my life in the grand scheme of eternity.

How foolish would I be to centre my whole identity upon this one thing?

And, yet, I have. Time and time again I have clothed myself in my gifts and abilities and have centred my worth upon how well I perform. In doing so, I make my worship about myself, not the one who gave me these talents in the first place. Additionally, this all means that when failure hits, it strikes deeply because it no longer only attacks your art, but the essence of who you believe you are.

No wonder we are impeded by anxiety and self-doubt when we fail in our creative journey. It’s because we have forgotten who we are. We have forgotten that we are not our art. We are something far more precious and everlasting.

Our creativity is merely a tool we use to express our God-given identity. It is a gift that we have been given to worship our Creator and Saviour, to point others to Him, and to contribute to the advancement of His kingdom in a unique way.

It’s one of the many ways we worship and fulfill our calling as disciples.

God the Father Apparel is a clothing brand that has taken this truth to heart. Their strategically selected brand name, printed upon every piece, exemplifies this truth that as followers of Christ, we are given a new identity as Children of God. One of the reasons I have chosen to partner with this brand is because of this simple reminder woven into the fabric of their fashion. In wearing their clothing, I’m reminded of who I am and I am revealing that truth to those around me. On the brand’s website, they state that this business “was created as a way to spread God’s word in an efficient, yet subtle way.” Their goal is to spark conversations through their clothing that will allow wearers opportunities to share the Gospel with others.

Clothed in Christ

There is a solution to this identity crisis that we creatives tend to ensnare ourselves in. Ultimately, this problem can be resolved by checking our hearts every time we enter the creative process. We need to recenter our hearts and minds on who we are and upon the purpose for our creativity.

Here are some ways to do this:

1. Partner with the Spirit

One way to recenter your heart is by inviting God into your creative process through prayer and/or a devotional before you begin working on your project each day. This is a simple way for us to start each creative session from the right mindset. Moreover, calling upon the Spirit to shape your art is a key way to ensuring that the Lord is leading you, even in your creativity.

2. Do not Neglect the Power of Community

We need to be deeply involved in community to thrive as human beings, especially as creatives. It’s easy to lock ourselves away and embark on this journey alone, but this is not what Christ has called us to do. He adopted you into a literal family, His church, providing us with the belonging and support that we need to thrive in every area of our lives. One of the roles of this family is to be reminding each other daily of the Good News of Christ and of who we are because of what He has done. We must not neglect our relationships with others when creating. Continue building close connections with your local church family, your friends, and your relatives. Surround yourself with people you can trust who can keep you accountable when you are spiralling into self-doubt about your work, who can identify the lies you are believing and can speak the truth to you in love.

3. Root Yourself in the Word

It’s also easy to neglect diving into God’s Word when we are busy trying to get our creative projects done. But this is an incredibly important part of our walk with God. Read your Bible daily. Meditate on what the Lord speaks through every phrase. But do not just read and move on. Apply it to your present circumstances, specifically to your creativity. The way we root ourselves in the Gospel is by living it out in our daily lives. So go live it and watch as God transforms you and your art through it.

You Are Not Your Art

Our lives are so much more than our creativity. We cannot place all of the other responsibilities that God has called us to on hold to only pursue this. Every aspect of our lives needs to be rooted in the beauty and truth of the Gospel. As creatives, we must accept the fact that our creativity is only a piece of who we are. We must treat it as a tool to lead and remind others of the truth, which is that we were all designed to be dearly loved and valued by the God of the Universe.

You are not your art.

You are not what you devote your time to.

You are a Child of the King.