Inspiration

I put off writing this letter, well, honestly, because I have been wrestling with it. In chapter 7 of the Artist's Way, Julia Cameron talks about artistic inspiration. I think about coming up with ideas. It's the usual belief about inspiration. Ms. Cameron describes inspiration as dipping into a well of inspiration. In other words, it's not my idea.

This is where pride comes into play. The idea isn't mine. And my pride doesn't like that. It takes humility to accept ideas from someone else.

The well that Ms. Cameron describes is God. He is the original Creator. In church, we talk about God's omniscience - He knows everything - in the context of knowing the future. Think about it now in terms of He knows every idea. There is nothing we can imagine that He hasn't already considered. That's how big God is.

We can't handle that level of creativity. Our brains would explode. Instead, when we connect with Him, God reveals ideas in the way we understand. He pulls one little bit out of that vast tidal wave and hands us the single drop of water. A tidal wave will sweep us away. A single drop fits neatly in our hand.

Psalms talks about God as our Rock - our firm foundation in the midst of chaos. I picture some guy standing on a rock, jagged edges, and level on top with crevices for footholds. The sun shines brightly and warmly while whitecaps smash into the rock's base. Only a brief, cooling amount of spray reaches the top. The man stands there, above it all, safe, secure, and peaceful. The sea can never move the rock. Because below the surface is a humongous mountain, firmly planted in the center of the earth. And no matter how many waves hit it, the rock never moves.

God is our Rock. The waves are the ocean of His ideas. In the ocean, we drown. But there, resting on Him, the same water feels refreshing. He breaks the waves into droplets. Inspiration is those little droplets, released from the greater sea, refreshing, nourishing, and sought after.

You see, this wasn't what I intended to write. I wanted to talk about torment,  hopelessness versus hope, and how, in pride, I'd rather resign myself to the hopeless outcome (it can never be better) than accept God's abundance (not just better, but better than I dreamed). And that wasn't what God wanted to say. That wasn't His inspiration.

By the way, I like His words better. God brings life. Me, I dwell in the dark - dark themes, sadness, down and out stuff. God, He brings hope. He shines a light on everything. How can you be sad with the sun shining on Your face and a gentle, warm breeze blowing across your skin? That's what happens when we connect with Him - inspiration, hope, peace.