November 18, 2025 • 22 mins
Feeling stuck at the canvas, camera, or keyboard doesn’t mean your gift is gone. It often means you’ve been drinking from a cracked cistern—striving without connection, waiting on feelings to lead, or letting your imagination run dry. In this heartfelt, practical conversation, we walk through three proven keys that help artists break through creative block and keep it from returning: reconnecting with Jesus as the living source of creativity, creating by faith instead of mood, and actively cultivating inspiration you can steward over time.
We start by resetting the core belief: the God of creativity isn’t distant; His Spirit lives within you. You’ll learn a simple reset prayer to trade panic for peace, ways to refresh your studio atmosphere with worship and Scripture, and how renewing your mind turns off the inner critic and the enemy’s accusations. Then we move to practice. When you don’t feel it, you can still show up: low‑stakes play, sketchbook sessions, color mixing, and musical noodling prime the pump and invite momentum. You’ll see why the river of creativity flows from the Father, not your feelings, and how consistent action opens space for the Holy Spirit to guide.
Finally, we dig into cultivating inspiration. From museum walks and great books to nature hikes and studio visits, the inputs you choose refill the well. Keep a journal or sketchbook to collect ideas, phrases, shapes, and prayers—your personal treasury for thin days. As you reconnect, act in faith, and steward what stirs your heart, shame lifts, curiosity returns, and your practice becomes a joyful collaboration with God. If you’re ready to move from stuck to flowing, this episode offers language, tools, and hope to light the way.
If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a creative friend, and leave a review so more artists can find it. Then tell us: what one practice will you try this week?
Check out my podcast on 5 Simple Ways to Create Your Art with God on this platform or Youtube.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Creative block is actually a lot more common than
you think, but worse thancommon, it's actually paralyzing
because it has a huge effect onyour joy, your connection, your
creative spirit, and even yourrelationship with the Lord.
So here's the deal.
Over the last 16 years, I'vestudied the lives of thousands
of artists, the ones who reallythrive in everything that God
(00:21):
has for them as artists, and theones who stay stuck continually
in things like creativeroadblocks.
And what I've discovered is thatartists who thrive actually
share three common similaritiesthat not only help them break
through creative block, but alsoprevent it from ever happening
again.
So in today's video, I'm goingto show you exactly what those
three keys are, how they canwork in your life, and how you
(00:44):
can start using them immediatelyto jump back into the creative
flow that you know God has foryou as an artist.
Okay, so before we talksolutions, I think it's super
important for you to realizethat the God of all creativity
is not out there.
(01:14):
So instead of thinking that Godis out there somewhere and all
of his immense creativity andabundance and joy and connection
and fruitfulness and ideas andinspiration, all that that is
within the nature of God,instead of thinking that that's
out there somewhere, you got tostart realizing that as a
believer in Jesus, all of that100% is resident inside of you
(01:39):
right now as a believer.
And I don't know about you, butthat changes everything.
I love it in James 1.5 when itsays, hey, if you need wisdom,
ask our generous God who willgive it to you generously,
right?
This is this is God's heart.
His heart isn't to withhold.
He's waiting on us to ask him sothat he can release every good
(02:01):
thing that he's planned for youand for your creative process
before you were even born.
So if God's so willing to allowhis creative spirit to flow
through us, why is it that we assons and daughters are even
experiencing creative block inthe first place?
Well, creative block is usuallythe fruit of one or two or
(02:21):
three, all of them, all threethings that I want to share with
you.
The first thing is what I call adisconnected spirit.
It's trying to create from aplace of disconnection with the
Lord.
You're you're not connected intothe vine, as it talks about in
in John 15.
Remember, he said, I'm the vine,you're the branches.
Apart from me, you can you cando nothing.
(02:42):
Anytime that we try to performor strive instead of working out
of that place of rest andabiding, eventually the well is
going to run dry, right?
Eventually we come to the end ofour own strength.
And so many times, creativeblock is actually the you know
realization and thedemonstration that that's what's
(03:04):
happening.
We've come to the end ofourselves, we've come to the end
of our resources, and we're justempty on the inside, and we come
to the studio and we got nothingleft to give.
Now, number two is what I wouldcall an empty imagination.
God has given you an imaginationin order to be able to form
things within you.
(03:25):
This is how the kingdom of Godworks, right?
God drops ideas, but God alsouses the impulses and the
experiences and theopportunities that we walk in
every day.
When you're listening tobeautiful music or reading a
great book, watching a movie,God is using those things that
we put into our imaginationthrough our eye gate and through
(03:46):
our ear gate and through theexperiences of life.
He uses those to flow over inour life to allow creativity to
bubble up from within us.
Well, here's the deal.
If you're not activelystewarding well and looking for,
cultivating inspiration in yourlife as an artist, then guess
what?
Holy Spirit's got nothing toflow over.
(04:08):
Now, the third reason is reallycommon as well, especially with
Christians, it's this sort ofpassivity, right?
This sort of passivity thatsays, well, if it's supposed to
happen, it'll just happen.
And well, when I feel creative,I'll go in the studio.
But we're not designed to walkby feelings.
We're designed to walk by faith,not only in our life, but also
(04:29):
in our art.
And it's really, really, reallyimportant that as you're growing
in the Lord as an artist, youlearn what it looks like to walk
by faith in your creativepractice.
See, all three of those, whenthey show up in our life, a
disconnected spirit, an emptyimagination, or this sort of
passive creative life, all ofthose are like what the Bible
(04:50):
talks about as a broken cistern.
Remember that verse?
I love it.
I'm gonna pull it up in Jeremiah2.13.
It says this they have abandonedme, the fountain of living
water.
I love that.
God's calling himself thefountain of living water, right?
He says, They've abandoned,abandoned me, the fountain of
living water.
They have dug cracked cisternsthat can hold no water at all.
(05:15):
Listen, just waiting oneverything to show up, just you
know, not filling yourimagination, not connecting with
the Lord, just relying on yourown striving and and your own
strength, kind of working offthe fumes of yesterday and just
kind of taking your artisticgift for granted, all of that is
creating and trying to draw froma cistern that is cracked and is
(05:38):
broken.
And guess what?
Over time, it's exhausting andthe thing leaks and it dries up
and it leaves you with what?
What people call creative block.
See, coming into the studio andfeeling empty and disconnected,
and like I said at thebeginning, even that kind of
little sense of shame, they'relike, I should be able to do
this.
That is not proof that you'velost your gift.
(05:59):
That is not proof that God's notfor you, that you've done
something wrong, that he's leftthe building, that you're not
supposed to be an artistanymore.
No, none of that is true.
It's simply proof that you'rejust trying to drink from the
wrong source.
And so today I want to give youthese three keys because when
you start drinking from theright source and you stay
plugged into the life of theHoly Spirit, you can learn how
(06:21):
to not only bust throughcreative block, but also prevent
it from being a regularoccurrence in your life as an
artist.
Okay, so the first key that youreally need to employ in your
life when you're feelingcreatively blocked is to
reconnect with Jesus.
Remember, everything in thekingdom starts with him.
And if you're feeling creativelyblocked, even right now, like
you are looking for a video tohelp you with the creative block
(06:44):
right now, you know what I'dsay, do just stop.
Stop.
Don't try to push it, don't tryto force it, don't try to panic
and like, what am I gonna do?
I got, you know, don't get intoall that.
All right, because the enemyloves to take advantage of those
times where you feel allpanicky.
Just stop for a moment and closeyour eyes and just say, Holy
(07:07):
Spirit, thank you that you'rehere with me right now, that
you're not only with me, you'rein me right now.
And Lord, and I would justinvite him, say, Lord, I give
you this panicky feeling rightnow.
I give you this feeling of needthat I need to push it, that I
need to make it happen thatsomehow I don't have enough.
Father, I thank you that inJesus' name in Christ, I have
(07:30):
everything that I need for lifeand godliness.
Holy Spirit, thank you thatyou're in me and through me,
that you're the source of allcreativity.
And God, I choose to put myfocus on you rather than my own
feelings of inadequacy.
Listen, when you do that, thatis that is so powerful.
(07:50):
It's a really a key to learningto renew your mind because
learning to renew your mind isall about taking every thought
captive and learning to say,hmm, is this thing that I'm
feeling or thinking or theperspective that I'm looking at
in this moment, does this soundlike Jesus?
Does this sound like God's word,or does it sound like I've got
(08:13):
all the focus on me and my owninadequacy?
Or does it sound like anaccusation from the enemy?
If you can get used to, and thisis something you got to do, it's
a kind of a working of a muscle,right?
If you can get used to saying,you know what, in these moments
of feeling creatively blocked,I'm just gonna stop.
I'm gonna not play into the lieof the enemy, and I'm just gonna
(08:33):
say, Holy Spirit, I amrefocusing my mind and my
thought and my eyes to you.
Would you show me what's neededright now?
Would you give me peace rightnow?
Would you remind me that you'rehere right now?
Would you remind me ofscripture?
You know, you know, one of thethings I do just about every day
that I walk in to the studio isI've on my phone, I've got my
(08:56):
studio, I've got speakers uh inall the different rooms of our
my studio here, and I just turnon my worship music.
And man, what am I doing?
There's nothing magic in that,but what am I doing?
I'm intentionally reconnectingwith Jesus.
I'm intentionally setting anatmosphere that says, Holy
Spirit, you were here before Igot here.
You're gonna be here after Ileave, and you're in me as I
(09:18):
walk in.
I'm not doing this by myself,I'm doing this in connection
with you.
And when you do that, it justerases your awareness of the
Holy Spirit that's alreadyliving within you.
It breaks the panic, it breaksthe pressure, and it breaks you
out of that sort of swirl of, Idon't know what to do, I'm so
blocked, I don't have enough.
It breaks you out of that.
(09:38):
Now, that's what to do in themoment, as a daily part of your,
you know, sort of creativepractice, if you will, of what
you're doing every day.
I would absolutely say worship,reading God's word, journaling,
having moments of silence,inviting him like physically out
of your mouth.
Holy Spirit, I invite you, likeinvite him into the studio.
(10:01):
Thank him that he's alreadythere.
These things that you do trainyour spirit man, they train your
heart and mind to resist thetemptation and the accusation of
the enemy, which is where youknow creative block sort of uh
festers.
It trains you to resist that andlean into the connection of the
(10:25):
living water of Jesus so that hecan flow through you in all the
things that you're doingcreatively.
And when you learn to do that,all of a sudden you begin to
experience the flow of the HolySpirit in your creative process
on a regular basis.
So just remember blockedcreativity is almost always
disconnected creativity.
(10:47):
And once you make thatreconnection, that's when the
creativity starts to flow again.
Now, the second key that I wouldsay is really important in
moving through and defeatingcreative block in your life is
learn to create by faith, not byfeelings.
You know, as artists, we'retaught and even modeled that,
well, if it feels good, do it.
(11:08):
If it doesn't feel like it, youknow, don't do it.
We just kind of go with theflow.
And I'm just telling you, uh,that can get you a certain, you
know, a certain way down theroad in your life, but that is
not uh a principle and astrategy for healthy living and
thriving and everything thatGod's called to you, called you
to.
Everything that we do in thekingdom is by faith.
(11:29):
God rarely gives us the fullplan that we're supposed to be
walking in life.
We're always walking either by apromise or either by a plan.
Now, listen, I love the plan.
I love it when I walk in thestudio and I can feel it.
I know what I'm doing.
Man, I got a I got a plan, I gota new commission, and I'm
excited about it, or I got ashow and I'm I'm working toward
(11:51):
it.
I know everything I'm gonna bedoing, I'm inspired.
Like that's a that's a wonderfulfeeling.
That's that plan, right?
That that God's put on yourheart and you know exactly what
you're doing.
But listen, sometimes there areseasons where all you got is a
promise.
Just like Abraham, right?
Abraham woke up one day and Godsays, I want you to pack it all
up and I want you to go to theland that I'm gonna show you.
(12:13):
And I'm sure Abraham was like,Well, if you'll show me, I'll
go.
And the Lord's like, uh, startgoing and I'll show you.
And listen, many times ourcreative process is like that as
well.
We have to be, you have to bewilling to walk by faith into
the studio, even when you don'tfeel it, even when you don't
(12:33):
feel inspired, even when there'snot a project that's just right
on the on the tip of yourtongue, right at the edge of
your hands.
Like even when you're just notfeeling it, you got to go in
there by faith.
Why?
Because artists create.
Artists show up in the studio.
When we do the thing that God'scalled us to do, when we make
room for that, we give the HolySpirit opportunity to come into
(12:57):
that place and lead us and guideus.
And so right now, if you'refeeling creatively blocked in
this moment, I would just saytake all the pressure off of
having to create a masterpiece,right?
Just go in.
I don't know what it is, whatmedium you work in, you know,
everybody can sketch, everybodycan grab your sketchbook.
I've always got mine, you know,right here by me.
(13:19):
Pull out a sketchbook, pull outsome pastels, a pen, a pencil, I
don't care, whatever it is, andjust start making some marks.
Maybe get some watercolor, maybeget some, you know, whatever it
is that you do.
If you're a musician, maybe juststart to toodle around by ear on
whatever instrument that you'rein, but just start to kind of
get the get the the the wellpumping, prime the prime the
(13:40):
pump, if you will, right?
Start start priming that pumpand just start, you know, mixing
colors, making marks, journalinga little bit on there.
All you're trying to do is justwake up.
Just wake up the creative giftthat's inside of you.
And you know what I find?
More times than not, if I willallow myself the space to play
(14:02):
in a place where I can't seeclearly what God wants to do in
my creative process that day,inevitably, what will happen?
The well of creativity, thespringing forth of the Spirit of
God, the source of allcreativity, will begin to flow.
What?
As I am in the studio doing thething that he created me to do.
(14:24):
And listen, the more you dothat, the more you gain faith
around this possibility that,hey, you know, even if I'm not
feeling it today, I just show upin the studio, right?
Because why?
Because I'm an artist andartists show up in the studio,
and just because I'm not feelingit, and just because I'm not
seeing it, I'm gonna do itanyway.
And I trust that when I do, evenwhen it doesn't make sense in
(14:44):
the natural, God's gonna showup.
I'm gonna be transformed, art'sgonna get created, and it's
gonna be a great day.
Just always remember the riverof creativity flows from the
father, not from your feelings.
I'm gonna say that again.
The river of creativity flowsfrom the father, not from your
feelings.
The third key is this all of usas artists have to be
(15:07):
cooperating with the Holy Spiritto cultivate inspiration in our
life.
And that's the third key.
In fact, if you're feelingblocked right now and you're
like, Matt, I don't want to goin the studio.
I'm not feeling it.
I know you said walk by faith,but I'm just not feeling it.
And I don't want to turn onworship music because I'm kind
of upset right now and I'm justI'm just aggravated.
You know what you need to do?
(15:29):
You need to go out and cultivateinspiration.
Now, Julia Cameron talked aboutthis beautifully in her book,
The Artist's Way.
I've echoed the same sentimentsin my first book, Unlocking the
Heart of the Artist.
We all need these regular timesin our life as artists to be
doing things that inspire us.
(15:50):
You need to go do things thatmake you go, oh, that is
beautiful, or oh, that movie wasso great, or oh, I love it when
I listen to that song.
Or man, when I just go for awalk in the woods, all of a
sudden I just, I just feelmyself coming alive again.
Listen, I don't know what it isfor you, whether, you know, I
love to go to Home Depot, go buya new tool, or maybe you need to
(16:10):
go to an art museum, or maybeyou need to go to the art store,
or maybe you need to get aroundfriends, or go visit somebody
else's studio, or go look at,you know, beautiful work in a
gallery.
Whatever it is, do somethingthat's gonna cultivate
inspiration inside of you toreconnect you to that place of
awe and wonder that God's givenyou in your heart.
(16:32):
Because you know what?
It's kind of like, you know, youever had your car, like the
battery go dead.
I just find, you know, when wego and allow ourselves to be
inspired, when we do things thatare just fun, it's kind of like
a secret back door into yourcreative heart.
It's almost like having thejumper cables on your car in
that moment.
(16:53):
What once was dead, when you putthe jumper cables on it, and all
of a sudden you turn it becausethe jumper cables are connected
to a live battery, somethingwith power, all of a sudden
what?
Bam! You get reignited.
And so you may not need to be inthe studio today.
Maybe you just need to go dosomething that you find to be
intensely fun and joyful.
(17:14):
And I promise, listen, when youdo that, God can use those times
to wake you up, to reinvigorateyou.
And who knows, you maybe evenget an idea or two to take back
with you in the studio.
Now, I'm telling my mentoringstudents this all the time in
the mentoring program, you and Iare responsible for the
(17:36):
inspiration that the Holy Spiritbrings us.
And so when you're seeingthings, hearing things, feeling
things, sensing things from theLord in the natural world,
things that are inspiring you inyour creative journey, you know
what you need to be doing?
Don't just go, oh, that'sawesome.
No, you need to be writing itdown.
If you don't have a journal, ifyou don't have a sketchbook,
(17:56):
something that you are activelywriting down inspirational ideas
uh to be able to pray on andthink on and and pursue in your
life, I'm telling you, you'remissing a huge part of how the
Holy Spirit wants to speak toyou.
And listen, part of none of us,none of us feel like this, you
know, oh, I'm coming into thestudio every day just on cloud
(18:19):
nine.
All of us go through momentswhere where they're kind of
peaks and valleys.
But your sketchbook, your prayerjournal, whatever it is that
you're recording inspiration,that becomes a place where as
you walk into the studio byfaith, whereas you're
reconnecting with Jesus, whetherwhere you're just beginning to
play in the mornings, yoursketchbook is a place where you
(18:41):
can go back to and the HolySpirit can go, yeah, that idea
that I gave you a year ago, it'stime to wake that up.
That idea that you had a coupleof weeks ago, it's time to work
on that or take the next stepwith that.
And I promise you, when you doit, not only are you taking
steps of faith, you're alsoshowing the Lord, hey, I'm
taking this creative callingseriously.
(19:02):
I'm not only cultivatinginspiration, but I'm stewarding
inspiration well in my life sothat I can be a faithful son, a
faithful daughter in what you'vecalled me to creatively.
So, my friend, if you have beendealing with creative block, I
hope today has given you all thetools you need to jump back on
the horse, get in the studiowith Jesus, reconnect with him,
(19:25):
create by faith, just show upand start cultivating and
stewarding inspiration on aregular basis.
As you do that, not only can youovercome creative block in the
moment, but you can prevent itfrom being a regular occurrence
in your life as an artist.
Hey, can I pray for you realquick?
I'd love to just close this timein a really beautiful way.
(19:47):
Father, thank you for leading myfriend here to this video.
Lord, thank you that you aremoving supernaturally by your
spirit in their life.
God, thank you that this is adivine appointment.
And Lord, I thank you that thething that may have been
stopping them in their creativejourney has just turned into a
great divine appointment for youto show up with a great solution
today, to draw them to yourself,to renew their creative spirit,
(20:12):
and to invite them into evenmore beautiful creativity that
you have for them.
God, thank you for theircreative call.
Thank you for the talents andgifts and graces that you've
invested in them.
And now, Holy Spirit, I praythat you would blow over them,
Lord, that you would well upinside of them.
Holy Spirit, that like a river,your word says, God, you would
(20:33):
flow in and through them so thatthey would know the beautiful
abundance and glory and beautyand peace and joy and all the
stuff of creating with you.
We thank you for that, God.
And we thank you for ourcreative calling that you've
given us, that you've invited usinto in your kingdom to reveal
and reflect your glory in theearth.
(20:54):
We thank you for that, Lord, inJesus' name.
Amen.
Amen.
Hey, listen, friends, super gladthat you were here with me
today.
If you want to learn more aboutcreating your art with God, be
sure to check out this videoright here that's all about
learning to create your art withGod and in concert with the Holy
Spirit.
Also, if you know that God's gotso much for you in your life as
(21:15):
a Christian artist, but you knowthat there's just some a
foundation that needs to be laidin your life and you want to
grow in everything that He's gotfor you.
I want to encourage you, pleasecheck out the foundations
course.
God's using it in the lives ofartists all over the world to
help them gain clarity,confidence, and creative freedom
in Christ by laying a solidbiblical foundation in their
(21:36):
life, helping them get a clearvision for what God's called
them to do, and also begin tobuild these same kind of daily
habits that we've been talkingabout on this video today so
that you can walk in everythingthat God's called you to do as
an artist in his kingdom.
Listen, my friends, super gladthat you were here today.
Make sure to hit the subscribebutton, leave me a comment, and
until next time, remember, youwere created to thrive.
(21:59):
Bye.
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(22:20):
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All right, love you.
Bye.
Creative block is actually a lot more common than
you think, but worse thancommon, it's actually paralyzing
because it has a huge effect onyour joy, your connection, your
creative spirit, and even yourrelationship with the Lord.
So here's the deal.
Over the last 16 years, I'vestudied the lives of thousands
of artists, the ones who reallythrive in everything that God
(00:21):
has for them as artists, and theones who stay stuck continually
in things like creativeroadblocks.
And what I've discovered is thatartists who thrive actually
share three common similaritiesthat not only help them break
through creative block, but alsoprevent it from ever happening
again.
So in today's video, I'm goingto show you exactly what those
three keys are, how they canwork in your life, and how you
(00:44):
can start using them immediatelyto jump back into the creative
flow that you know God has foryou as an artist.
Okay, so before we talksolutions, I think it's super
important for you to realizethat the God of all creativity
is not out there.
(01:14):
So instead of thinking that Godis out there somewhere and all
of his immense creativity andabundance and joy and connection
and fruitfulness and ideas andinspiration, all that that is
within the nature of God,instead of thinking that that's
out there somewhere, you got tostart realizing that as a
believer in Jesus, all of that100% is resident inside of you
(01:39):
right now as a believer.
And I don't know about you, butthat changes everything.
I love it in James 1.5 when itsays, hey, if you need wisdom,
ask our generous God who willgive it to you generously,
right?
This is this is God's heart.
His heart isn't to withhold.
He's waiting on us to ask him sothat he can release every good
(02:01):
thing that he's planned for youand for your creative process
before you were even born.
So if God's so willing to allowhis creative spirit to flow
through us, why is it that we assons and daughters are even
experiencing creative block inthe first place?
Well, creative block is usuallythe fruit of one or two or
(02:21):
three, all of them, all threethings that I want to share with
you.
The first thing is what I call adisconnected spirit.
It's trying to create from aplace of disconnection with the
Lord.
You're you're not connected intothe vine, as it talks about in
in John 15.
Remember, he said, I'm the vine,you're the branches.
Apart from me, you can you cando nothing.
(02:42):
Anytime that we try to performor strive instead of working out
of that place of rest andabiding, eventually the well is
going to run dry, right?
Eventually we come to the end ofour own strength.
And so many times, creativeblock is actually the you know
realization and thedemonstration that that's what's
(03:04):
happening.
We've come to the end ofourselves, we've come to the end
of our resources, and we're justempty on the inside, and we come
to the studio and we got nothingleft to give.
Now, number two is what I wouldcall an empty imagination.
God has given you an imaginationin order to be able to form
things within you.
(03:25):
This is how the kingdom of Godworks, right?
God drops ideas, but God alsouses the impulses and the
experiences and theopportunities that we walk in
every day.
When you're listening tobeautiful music or reading a
great book, watching a movie,God is using those things that
we put into our imaginationthrough our eye gate and through
(03:46):
our ear gate and through theexperiences of life.
He uses those to flow over inour life to allow creativity to
bubble up from within us.
Well, here's the deal.
If you're not activelystewarding well and looking for,
cultivating inspiration in yourlife as an artist, then guess
what?
Holy Spirit's got nothing toflow over.
(04:08):
Now, the third reason is reallycommon as well, especially with
Christians, it's this sort ofpassivity, right?
This sort of passivity thatsays, well, if it's supposed to
happen, it'll just happen.
And well, when I feel creative,I'll go in the studio.
But we're not designed to walkby feelings.
We're designed to walk by faith,not only in our life, but also
(04:29):
in our art.
And it's really, really, reallyimportant that as you're growing
in the Lord as an artist, youlearn what it looks like to walk
by faith in your creativepractice.
See, all three of those, whenthey show up in our life, a
disconnected spirit, an emptyimagination, or this sort of
passive creative life, all ofthose are like what the Bible
(04:50):
talks about as a broken cistern.
Remember that verse?
I love it.
I'm gonna pull it up in Jeremiah2.13.
It says this they have abandonedme, the fountain of living
water.
I love that.
God's calling himself thefountain of living water, right?
He says, They've abandoned,abandoned me, the fountain of
living water.
They have dug cracked cisternsthat can hold no water at all.
(05:15):
Listen, just waiting oneverything to show up, just you
know, not filling yourimagination, not connecting with
the Lord, just relying on yourown striving and and your own
strength, kind of working offthe fumes of yesterday and just
kind of taking your artisticgift for granted, all of that is
creating and trying to draw froma cistern that is cracked and is
(05:38):
broken.
And guess what?
Over time, it's exhausting andthe thing leaks and it dries up
and it leaves you with what?
What people call creative block.
See, coming into the studio andfeeling empty and disconnected,
and like I said at thebeginning, even that kind of
little sense of shame, they'relike, I should be able to do
this.
That is not proof that you'velost your gift.
(05:59):
That is not proof that God's notfor you, that you've done
something wrong, that he's leftthe building, that you're not
supposed to be an artistanymore.
No, none of that is true.
It's simply proof that you'rejust trying to drink from the
wrong source.
And so today I want to give youthese three keys because when
you start drinking from theright source and you stay
plugged into the life of theHoly Spirit, you can learn how
(06:21):
to not only bust throughcreative block, but also prevent
it from being a regularoccurrence in your life as an
artist.
Okay, so the first key that youreally need to employ in your
life when you're feelingcreatively blocked is to
reconnect with Jesus.
Remember, everything in thekingdom starts with him.
And if you're feeling creativelyblocked, even right now, like
you are looking for a video tohelp you with the creative block
(06:44):
right now, you know what I'dsay, do just stop.
Stop.
Don't try to push it, don't tryto force it, don't try to panic
and like, what am I gonna do?
I got, you know, don't get intoall that.
All right, because the enemyloves to take advantage of those
times where you feel allpanicky.
Just stop for a moment and closeyour eyes and just say, Holy
(07:07):
Spirit, thank you that you'rehere with me right now, that
you're not only with me, you'rein me right now.
And Lord, and I would justinvite him, say, Lord, I give
you this panicky feeling rightnow.
I give you this feeling of needthat I need to push it, that I
need to make it happen thatsomehow I don't have enough.
Father, I thank you that inJesus' name in Christ, I have
(07:30):
everything that I need for lifeand godliness.
Holy Spirit, thank you thatyou're in me and through me,
that you're the source of allcreativity.
And God, I choose to put myfocus on you rather than my own
feelings of inadequacy.
Listen, when you do that, thatis that is so powerful.
(07:50):
It's a really a key to learningto renew your mind because
learning to renew your mind isall about taking every thought
captive and learning to say,hmm, is this thing that I'm
feeling or thinking or theperspective that I'm looking at
in this moment, does this soundlike Jesus?
Does this sound like God's word,or does it sound like I've got
(08:13):
all the focus on me and my owninadequacy?
Or does it sound like anaccusation from the enemy?
If you can get used to, and thisis something you got to do, it's
a kind of a working of a muscle,right?
If you can get used to saying,you know what, in these moments
of feeling creatively blocked,I'm just gonna stop.
I'm gonna not play into the lieof the enemy, and I'm just gonna
(08:33):
say, Holy Spirit, I amrefocusing my mind and my
thought and my eyes to you.
Would you show me what's neededright now?
Would you give me peace rightnow?
Would you remind me that you'rehere right now?
Would you remind me ofscripture?
You know, you know, one of thethings I do just about every day
that I walk in to the studio isI've on my phone, I've got my
(08:56):
studio, I've got speakers uh inall the different rooms of our
my studio here, and I just turnon my worship music.
And man, what am I doing?
There's nothing magic in that,but what am I doing?
I'm intentionally reconnectingwith Jesus.
I'm intentionally setting anatmosphere that says, Holy
Spirit, you were here before Igot here.
You're gonna be here after Ileave, and you're in me as I
(09:18):
walk in.
I'm not doing this by myself,I'm doing this in connection
with you.
And when you do that, it justerases your awareness of the
Holy Spirit that's alreadyliving within you.
It breaks the panic, it breaksthe pressure, and it breaks you
out of that sort of swirl of, Idon't know what to do, I'm so
blocked, I don't have enough.
It breaks you out of that.
(09:38):
Now, that's what to do in themoment, as a daily part of your,
you know, sort of creativepractice, if you will, of what
you're doing every day.
I would absolutely say worship,reading God's word, journaling,
having moments of silence,inviting him like physically out
of your mouth.
Holy Spirit, I invite you, likeinvite him into the studio.
(10:01):
Thank him that he's alreadythere.
These things that you do trainyour spirit man, they train your
heart and mind to resist thetemptation and the accusation of
the enemy, which is where youknow creative block sort of uh
festers.
It trains you to resist that andlean into the connection of the
(10:25):
living water of Jesus so that hecan flow through you in all the
things that you're doingcreatively.
And when you learn to do that,all of a sudden you begin to
experience the flow of the HolySpirit in your creative process
on a regular basis.
So just remember blockedcreativity is almost always
disconnected creativity.
(10:47):
And once you make thatreconnection, that's when the
creativity starts to flow again.
Now, the second key that I wouldsay is really important in
moving through and defeatingcreative block in your life is
learn to create by faith, not byfeelings.
You know, as artists, we'retaught and even modeled that,
well, if it feels good, do it.
(11:08):
If it doesn't feel like it, youknow, don't do it.
We just kind of go with theflow.
And I'm just telling you, uh,that can get you a certain, you
know, a certain way down theroad in your life, but that is
not uh a principle and astrategy for healthy living and
thriving and everything thatGod's called to you, called you
to.
Everything that we do in thekingdom is by faith.
(11:29):
God rarely gives us the fullplan that we're supposed to be
walking in life.
We're always walking either by apromise or either by a plan.
Now, listen, I love the plan.
I love it when I walk in thestudio and I can feel it.
I know what I'm doing.
Man, I got a I got a plan, I gota new commission, and I'm
excited about it, or I got ashow and I'm I'm working toward
(11:51):
it.
I know everything I'm gonna bedoing, I'm inspired.
Like that's a that's a wonderfulfeeling.
That's that plan, right?
That that God's put on yourheart and you know exactly what
you're doing.
But listen, sometimes there areseasons where all you got is a
promise.
Just like Abraham, right?
Abraham woke up one day and Godsays, I want you to pack it all
up and I want you to go to theland that I'm gonna show you.
(12:13):
And I'm sure Abraham was like,Well, if you'll show me, I'll
go.
And the Lord's like, uh, startgoing and I'll show you.
And listen, many times ourcreative process is like that as
well.
We have to be, you have to bewilling to walk by faith into
the studio, even when you don'tfeel it, even when you don't
(12:33):
feel inspired, even when there'snot a project that's just right
on the on the tip of yourtongue, right at the edge of
your hands.
Like even when you're just notfeeling it, you got to go in
there by faith.
Why?
Because artists create.
Artists show up in the studio.
When we do the thing that God'scalled us to do, when we make
room for that, we give the HolySpirit opportunity to come into
(12:57):
that place and lead us and guideus.
And so right now, if you'refeeling creatively blocked in
this moment, I would just saytake all the pressure off of
having to create a masterpiece,right?
Just go in.
I don't know what it is, whatmedium you work in, you know,
everybody can sketch, everybodycan grab your sketchbook.
I've always got mine, you know,right here by me.
(13:19):
Pull out a sketchbook, pull outsome pastels, a pen, a pencil, I
don't care, whatever it is, andjust start making some marks.
Maybe get some watercolor, maybeget some, you know, whatever it
is that you do.
If you're a musician, maybe juststart to toodle around by ear on
whatever instrument that you'rein, but just start to kind of
get the get the the the wellpumping, prime the prime the
(13:40):
pump, if you will, right?
Start start priming that pumpand just start, you know, mixing
colors, making marks, journalinga little bit on there.
All you're trying to do is justwake up.
Just wake up the creative giftthat's inside of you.
And you know what I find?
More times than not, if I willallow myself the space to play
(14:02):
in a place where I can't seeclearly what God wants to do in
my creative process that day,inevitably, what will happen?
The well of creativity, thespringing forth of the Spirit of
God, the source of allcreativity, will begin to flow.
What?
As I am in the studio doing thething that he created me to do.
(14:24):
And listen, the more you dothat, the more you gain faith
around this possibility that,hey, you know, even if I'm not
feeling it today, I just show upin the studio, right?
Because why?
Because I'm an artist andartists show up in the studio,
and just because I'm not feelingit, and just because I'm not
seeing it, I'm gonna do itanyway.
And I trust that when I do, evenwhen it doesn't make sense in
(14:44):
the natural, God's gonna showup.
I'm gonna be transformed, art'sgonna get created, and it's
gonna be a great day.
Just always remember the riverof creativity flows from the
father, not from your feelings.
I'm gonna say that again.
The river of creativity flowsfrom the father, not from your
feelings.
The third key is this all of usas artists have to be
(15:07):
cooperating with the Holy Spiritto cultivate inspiration in our
life.
And that's the third key.
In fact, if you're feelingblocked right now and you're
like, Matt, I don't want to goin the studio.
I'm not feeling it.
I know you said walk by faith,but I'm just not feeling it.
And I don't want to turn onworship music because I'm kind
of upset right now and I'm justI'm just aggravated.
You know what you need to do?
(15:29):
You need to go out and cultivateinspiration.
Now, Julia Cameron talked aboutthis beautifully in her book,
The Artist's Way.
I've echoed the same sentimentsin my first book, Unlocking the
Heart of the Artist.
We all need these regular timesin our life as artists to be
doing things that inspire us.
(15:50):
You need to go do things thatmake you go, oh, that is
beautiful, or oh, that movie wasso great, or oh, I love it when
I listen to that song.
Or man, when I just go for awalk in the woods, all of a
sudden I just, I just feelmyself coming alive again.
Listen, I don't know what it isfor you, whether, you know, I
love to go to Home Depot, go buya new tool, or maybe you need to
(16:10):
go to an art museum, or maybeyou need to go to the art store,
or maybe you need to get aroundfriends, or go visit somebody
else's studio, or go look at,you know, beautiful work in a
gallery.
Whatever it is, do somethingthat's gonna cultivate
inspiration inside of you toreconnect you to that place of
awe and wonder that God's givenyou in your heart.
(16:32):
Because you know what?
It's kind of like, you know, youever had your car, like the
battery go dead.
I just find, you know, when wego and allow ourselves to be
inspired, when we do things thatare just fun, it's kind of like
a secret back door into yourcreative heart.
It's almost like having thejumper cables on your car in
that moment.
(16:53):
What once was dead, when you putthe jumper cables on it, and all
of a sudden you turn it becausethe jumper cables are connected
to a live battery, somethingwith power, all of a sudden
what?
Bam! You get reignited.
And so you may not need to be inthe studio today.
Maybe you just need to go dosomething that you find to be
intensely fun and joyful.
(17:14):
And I promise, listen, when youdo that, God can use those times
to wake you up, to reinvigorateyou.
And who knows, you maybe evenget an idea or two to take back
with you in the studio.
Now, I'm telling my mentoringstudents this all the time in
the mentoring program, you and Iare responsible for the
(17:36):
inspiration that the Holy Spiritbrings us.
And so when you're seeingthings, hearing things, feeling
things, sensing things from theLord in the natural world,
things that are inspiring you inyour creative journey, you know
what you need to be doing?
Don't just go, oh, that'sawesome.
No, you need to be writing itdown.
If you don't have a journal, ifyou don't have a sketchbook,
(17:56):
something that you are activelywriting down inspirational ideas
uh to be able to pray on andthink on and and pursue in your
life, I'm telling you, you'remissing a huge part of how the
Holy Spirit wants to speak toyou.
And listen, part of none of us,none of us feel like this, you
know, oh, I'm coming into thestudio every day just on cloud
(18:19):
nine.
All of us go through momentswhere where they're kind of
peaks and valleys.
But your sketchbook, your prayerjournal, whatever it is that
you're recording inspiration,that becomes a place where as
you walk into the studio byfaith, whereas you're
reconnecting with Jesus, whetherwhere you're just beginning to
play in the mornings, yoursketchbook is a place where you
(18:41):
can go back to and the HolySpirit can go, yeah, that idea
that I gave you a year ago, it'stime to wake that up.
That idea that you had a coupleof weeks ago, it's time to work
on that or take the next stepwith that.
And I promise you, when you doit, not only are you taking
steps of faith, you're alsoshowing the Lord, hey, I'm
taking this creative callingseriously.
(19:02):
I'm not only cultivatinginspiration, but I'm stewarding
inspiration well in my life sothat I can be a faithful son, a
faithful daughter in what you'vecalled me to creatively.
So, my friend, if you have beendealing with creative block, I
hope today has given you all thetools you need to jump back on
the horse, get in the studiowith Jesus, reconnect with him,
(19:25):
create by faith, just show upand start cultivating and
stewarding inspiration on aregular basis.
As you do that, not only can youovercome creative block in the
moment, but you can prevent itfrom being a regular occurrence
in your life as an artist.
Hey, can I pray for you realquick?
I'd love to just close this timein a really beautiful way.
(19:47):
Father, thank you for leading myfriend here to this video.
Lord, thank you that you aremoving supernaturally by your
spirit in their life.
God, thank you that this is adivine appointment.
And Lord, I thank you that thething that may have been
stopping them in their creativejourney has just turned into a
great divine appointment for youto show up with a great solution
today, to draw them to yourself,to renew their creative spirit,
(20:12):
and to invite them into evenmore beautiful creativity that
you have for them.
God, thank you for theircreative call.
Thank you for the talents andgifts and graces that you've
invested in them.
And now, Holy Spirit, I praythat you would blow over them,
Lord, that you would well upinside of them.
Holy Spirit, that like a river,your word says, God, you would
(20:33):
flow in and through them so thatthey would know the beautiful
abundance and glory and beautyand peace and joy and all the
stuff of creating with you.
We thank you for that, God.
And we thank you for ourcreative calling that you've
given us, that you've invited usinto in your kingdom to reveal
and reflect your glory in theearth.
(20:54):
We thank you for that, Lord, inJesus' name.
Amen.
Amen.
Hey, listen, friends, super gladthat you were here with me
today.
If you want to learn more aboutcreating your art with God, be
sure to check out this videoright here that's all about
learning to create your art withGod and in concert with the Holy
Spirit.
Also, if you know that God's gotso much for you in your life as
(21:15):
a Christian artist, but you knowthat there's just some a
foundation that needs to be laidin your life and you want to
grow in everything that He's gotfor you.
I want to encourage you, pleasecheck out the foundations
course.
God's using it in the lives ofartists all over the world to
help them gain clarity,confidence, and creative freedom
in Christ by laying a solidbiblical foundation in their
(21:36):
life, helping them get a clearvision for what God's called
them to do, and also begin tobuild these same kind of daily
habits that we've been talkingabout on this video today so
that you can walk in everythingthat God's called you to do as
an artist in his kingdom.
Listen, my friends, super gladthat you were here today.
Make sure to hit the subscribebutton, leave me a comment, and
until next time, remember, youwere created to thrive.
(21:59):
Bye.
Hey, my friend, before you go,make sure that you're signed up
for the Thriving ChristianArtist Weekly.
It's my free newsletter full ofspiritual encouragement,
creative inspiration, andpractical tips to help you
thrive in everything that God'scalled you to do as an artist in
his kingdom.
Every issue is absolutely free,and it includes the latest
podcast episode, featured artistspotlights, a worship song of
(22:20):
the week, and again, tons oftips and encouragement and
inspiration for you to keep youinspired and encouraged in
everything that God's got foryou as an artist in the kingdom.
You can click the link righthere in the show notes to join
us, and it's a great way to stayconnected.
All right, love you.
Bye.
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