City Life Starter

Written by Aisha Darwesh

²⁶ And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. ²⁷ And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. ²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. ²⁹ For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

Romans 8:26-30 (NLT)

Aisha’s Analysis

Creativity is innately woven into us because God is Creator and we are made in His image. God spoke creation into existence. In turn, we cultivate creativity to communicate the truth of His existence.

As Kacee Pate beautifully illustrated on Sunday, there are a multitude of methods to communicate the same message. God invites us into His work of creation. He calls us to reshape the world around us to echo His glory. 

This broadens creativity to more than just certain fields of industry or aspects of life. We can be creative in anything and everything. Regardless of our vocation or season of life, we can cultivate the creativity of God to communicate His message to the world. 

Another aspect of God’s creativity which I absolutely love is His ability to work everything together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose for them (Romans 8:28). How amazing is that? This gives meaning to everything we go through whether it’s good, bad, exciting, boring, disappointing, or whatever else. He uses all things. Knowing that gives us hope. 

A fun fact about me is I don’t really have a favorite color. Even the dull, drab colors serve a purpose in bringing balance to the brighter, bolder colors. As someone who likes to draw, I can see how they all work together. 

I think God looks at us with a similar mindset. He’s not caught up with a single event or circumstance in our lives because He can see how it all fits together. All we have to do is simply be willing to yield to His leadership and guidance to see how He’ll work it into the pattern of His grand design. We may not know what it looks like yet, but we can rest assured it will be glorious. 

Application

Are you discouraged by a certain outcome or circumstance in your life because you’re not sure how it fits with your plans? Don’t be. It’s not too late for God to creatively work that into His plan. 

Whether you’re wandering through a wilderness or maxing out on a mountain top or anywhere in between, God wants to be actively involved in your life. He wants to turn your brokenness into beauty. He wants to weave you into His tapestry of grace. 

Today’s application exercise is to view your life circumstances through the lens of the gospel. Think about that really frustrating thing where none of your efforts have gotten you anywhere. Now see how the gospel changes that. Ask God to work creatively through you to communicate His message to the world around you. 

Prayer

Father God, thank You for creatively working me into Your master plan. You are a skillful Creator, and I am Your adoring creation. I pray for Your perfect will and plan to be established in my life. Help me stay rooted in the reality of the gospel through every season of life. May Your creativity flow through me to convey that message to others. In Jesus’ name, amen.