August 19, 2025 • 35 mins
Have you found yourself caught in an endless cycle of creative hustle and disappointment? That relentless pressure to produce more art, gain more followers, and achieve greater success can leave even the most passionate artist feeling depleted and inadequate. But what if your greatest artistic achievements don't come from working harder but from learning to walk at God's pace?
This episode challenges the cultural narrative that equates success with constant productivity and instead offers a revolutionary alternative: grace-paced creativity. Drawing from Matthew 11:28-30, you'll discover why Jesus invites us to "learn the unforced rhythms of grace" and how this profoundly impacts your creative practice. Rather than allowing external pressures to drive your internal creative process, you'll learn how to operate from the inside out, guided by God's truth and the Holy Spirit's leading.
Just as nature operates in seasons—sowing, growing, harvesting, and resting—your creative life follows similar patterns. There's immense freedom in recognizing the season you're in and honoring it, rather than feeling inadequate because you're not constantly producing. This isn't about becoming unproductive; it's about the transformative shift from striving in your own strength to co-laboring with God.
Through practical frameworks like the Core Four Focus (Connect with God, Clarify your priorities, Create, and Cultivate relationships), you'll discover how to maintain this grace-paced creativity daily. The fruit is profound: peace in your studio, joy in the process, fulfillment in your journey, and experiencing God's favor. Instead of quick success followed by burnout, you'll develop depth, groundedness, and longevity in your creative calling.
Ready to stop feeling rushed, anxious, and inadequate in your art practice? Join us as we explore how slowing down might be your greatest creative advantage. Your art matters—and so does your soul's rest.
GET THE CORE4 Focus Planner today at https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/core4.html
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I don't know about you, but it's super easy to get
overwhelmed and frustrated andjust feeling really driven when
everything around you these daysfeels like you got to do more
and go faster and achieve moreand be better and get in front
of this person and that personand have more followers on this
social media post and it justseems like success.
The way the world promises itis always tied to doing more or
(00:24):
going faster or working harder.
But what if life in the kingdomand what if your greatest
artistic achievements and yourgreatest fulfillment in life is
not from working harder butactually from learning to slow
down and walking at the pacethat God sets for your life?
We're going to talk about thattoday and how to do it
practically today.
On the Thriving ChristianArtist.
(00:45):
All over the world, artists areawakening Painters and potters,
writers and weavers, poets anddancers.
Not chasing followers or fame,but sons and daughters called
for such a time as this,transformed from the inside out,
creating with purpose,releasing the glory of God and
living in the power of thekingdom.
Right now, this is the ThrivingChristian Artist.
(01:08):
Well, hey, friends, super gladthat you're with me today,
whether it's your first time,first time in a long time or
whether you're a regularlistener and viewer of the
podcast.
I'm really really glad thatyou're here.
Make sure that you hit thesubscribe button so you don't
miss any of the great contentthat I'm putting out here every
week to encourage artists on ourjourney, not only with the Lord
, but also in our art practiceand even art business, depending
(01:29):
on what God's called you to inthis season of your life.
You know, I don't know aboutyou, but I can't tell you how
many artists that I've talked toover the years who are living
kind of in this constantfrustration.
They're running themselvesragged trying to figure out how
do I create more and post moreand sell more and get out there
and just on this constant cycleof repeat and feeling like it's
(01:50):
always got to be bigger andbetter and faster and more, and
they feel like they nevermeasure up.
It's sort of this always thisgame of inadequacy and trying to
to feel like they measure up inthis world and among other
artists, measure up in thisworld and among other artists
and you know, if you're notcareful, whether you love Jesus
or not, it's really, really easyto think that that's normal,
(02:10):
that that's the way we'resupposed to live as artists and,
for many of us, asentrepreneurs.
But I want to really help toreshift and reshape sort of your
idea of what the pace of lifeis supposed to look like in the
kingdom of God.
Now, this doesn't mean that wedon't get up every day and do
the things that God's called usto do and work hard, work
(02:31):
diligently and that sort ofthing.
But I want to give you adifferent model, if you will,
today, a model of rest, a modelof cooperation that really is in
constant odds and constanttension with everything that the
world is trying to get us toparticipate in and, frankly,
(02:51):
maybe at great odds witheverything that you've been
taught or that's been modeled toyou, or even that you've
practiced in your own life.
I love that old quote from MayaAngelou that says when you know
better, you do better, and Ihope today is going to be one of
those opportunities that whenyou start to realize that God's
got a different plan for yourlife, jesus has a better way, a
(03:12):
better pace of life for you inthe season of life you're living
, I hope that that's going toreally bring into a lot of
freedom today and empower you tolive the life that Jesus died
for you to live, and the HolySpirit is empowering you to live
today.
I can remember years ago when Isaw the verse I think it's 1
Thessalonians 4, 11, that talksabout this sort of ideal life of
(03:37):
living quietly, minding our ownbusiness and working with our
hands, and I said, boy, that's arecipe for a great life.
You know, sounds like to me.
You know, to be able to livequietly, do the things that God
puts on my heart to do, to loveHim, to love others, to trust
Him for the outflow and theoutput of my life, to trust that
(03:59):
fruitfulness is the result ofmy faithfulness, not of my
striving man, that's a great,great way to live.
I want to say to you, if you'resomebody that's living right
now in a way that feels likeyou're just tired and worn out,
and you're always feeling likeyou're two steps forward, one
step back, never really makingprogress, I do want to invite
(04:21):
you into something today that Ithink is really radically
freeing and is at odds with thelife that you may have been
living so far.
You know, I love to start inScripture every time we get
together, because it really isthe basis for everything that we
do in our life as sons anddaughters in the kingdom and as
(04:41):
artists, right as the Bible andthe leadership of the Holy
Spirit, the voice of the Lord.
These are our signposts, theseare our compasses, if you will,
that guide us on our journey.
And there's really no betterplace than to look in Matthew 11
.
I think it's in verses 28through 30, where Jesus comes
(05:01):
into the middle of the hustleand bustle of life and really
gives, just like he always does,gives a completely new model
for living, and I don't thinkthere's any better translation
of this than the Message Bible.
It's just become one of myfavorite places to read this
verse and to commit it to memory.
(05:21):
But in the Message version itsays this.
It says are you tired and wornout?
And some of you may know this,as you know, come to me all you
who are heavy laden, and I'llgive you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, for myyoke is easy and my burden is
light.
So this is a little bitdifferent translation, but just
let this wash over you, right?
(05:46):
It says are you tired and wornout, burned out on religion?
Come to me, get away with meand you will recover your life.
I'll show you how to take areal rest.
Walk with me and work with me.
Watch how I do it, learn theunforced rhythms of grace.
I won't lay anything heavy orill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you'lllearn to live freely and
(06:08):
lightly.
Wow, I can think of so manytimes in my life where living
freely and lightly were not mytestimony, living freely and
lightly were not the way that Iwould describe myself.
I find that many times in mylife the enemy will try to pull
you on either sides of thependulum right.
(06:29):
Either get you just to whereyou're totally freaked out and
paralyzed because of inadequacyand fear and anxiety and just
paralyzes you and you can't doanything, or on the other side,
you're just hustling, grind allthe time, trying to make it
happen, trying to measure up tothe latest thing that the world
is trying to sell you that saysyou know that's what success
(06:50):
equals to?
And man, it's anything butfreely and lightly living.
It's anything but havingsomething that's well-fitting.
It is much more akin to feelinglike it's heavy and not fitting
, like it's really bringing youdown and really cramping your
style and forcing you, if youwill, into a life that is not
(07:14):
the life that Jesus designed forus.
And you know why I think a lotof people try to make the Bible
more poetic than practical, andI've been guilty of that in my
life.
This is a super practicalinvitation from Jesus.
It's an invitation to lay downthe life and the way of life,
(07:39):
the pace of life that you mayhave been living in, and realize
that hurry and bustle andstriving and grinding and all
the stuff that takes your energy, all the stuff that makes you
feel like you're not inadequate,all the stuff that makes you
feel like you're on thiscontinuous hamster wheel.
Realize, maybe for the firsttime in your life, this is not
(08:00):
God's best for my life.
Now, what does this not mean?
It doesn't mean that he doesn'twant you to be about the things
that he's called you to.
It doesn't mean that you'resupposed to stop creating.
It doesn't mean that you'resupposed to lay on the floor and
just worship him all day andexpect the angels to bring you
manna and clients.
No, it means that weparticipate with him right in
(08:21):
the things that he shows us,right as we walk with him, just
like the disciples, as we walkwith Jesus daily, as we're led
by his voice and we see themodel of Jesus's life in the
Bible.
We live in an atmosphere ofrestedness.
See the Sabbath.
I love it in Hebrews when itsays there therefore remains a
(08:42):
Sabbath rest for the people ofGod.
That doesn't mean that we'resupposed to be living all on
Sunday, but it means that welive.
The position of our heart isone that we say, even in my not
hustling and grinding, in my notworrying about what's going to
happen tomorrow, in my notburning the candle at both ends,
(09:02):
in my not working, feeling thepressure of working 12-hour days
, seven days a week, just tomake it out of this curse of the
starving artist.
In order for me not to do that,I'm going to choose the Sabbath
life, in other words, what I'mgoing to choose, to rest in the
fact that, even when I'm notdoing what everybody else is
(09:24):
doing, I know that God is doingmore than enough.
God has already providedeverything that I need, and as
I'll choose to rest in him andflow with him, in this sort of
grace-paced rhythm of life, ourart and our life become a lot
more than just output, a lotmore than just product.
(09:45):
It really becomes an overflowof our relationship with Him.
See, that's where the peace is,that's where the fruitfulness
is, that's where the grace is,not from you and I trying more,
but from us learning to rest inHim.
Our faithfulness is whatproduces fruitfulness in our
(10:05):
life.
I will say that again ourfaithfulness, and really our
faithfulness to rest in Him, iswhat produces fruitfulness.
And so the whole Christian life,I think, for so many of us, is
just these ongoing opportunitieswhere Jesus, through the power
of the Holy Spirit and throughhis word and through the
(10:26):
situations of life, is teachingus to rest in him even as we're
actively working with him and soreally understand this.
This doesn't mean that you'reunplugging from what God's
called you to do, but it meansthat you're changing the
position of your heart to do.
(10:46):
But it means that you'rechanging the position of your
heart, you're choosing to comeout of agreement with the
pressurized sort of way that thespirit of mammon and the spirit
of this world and the enemy ofour soul wants us to live, which
is that I got to do more, I gotto produce more, I got to go
faster.
It's choosing to come out ofagreement with that and coming
into this idea that I've alreadybeen given everything that I
(11:07):
need and as I choose to walk inthis grace-paced life with the
Lord, he's going to bringeverything that I need exactly
at the time I need it, and I cantrust that he's the one is in
control as I learn to lean intohim.
So I want to give you fivethings today.
I think that I've learned overthe years that are things that
(11:28):
I'm endeavoring to do in my ownlife, things that I teach in our
courses and books and mentoringprogram, but things that I know
have real-life, practicalability to change the way that
you're walking and experiencinglife every day.
These are doors, if you willopen doors, open opportunities,
invitations, if you will, tostep into this sort of
(11:50):
grace-paced life that Jesus hasfor you.
The first thing is what we'vekind of been talking about a
little bit, which is learn toescape, choose to escape, rather
this more is better trap, allright, there's always this lie
that the enemy's trying to bringus that you know, if you
produce more, if you do itfaster, if you do it better, if
you do it this or this and this,if you're, you know, if you're
(12:12):
not producing constantly, thatsometime somehow you're falling
behind, sometime somehow you'reyou're less than you got to
choose to realize again this issomething God does with you, not
to you.
You got to choose to realizeagain this is something God does
with you, not to you.
You got to choose to realizethat that is not the truth of
God's word.
See, external pressure isalways going to be there in our
(12:35):
life.
Right Problems of life aregoing to be there.
External pressures of life aregoing to be there.
Deadlines are going to be there.
Competition is always going tobe there.
Feelings of inadequacy arealways going to be trying to
come in.
So none of that is changing,right, none of that is changing.
Social media is going to bethere.
Your sales goals, your ideasfor what you want to do, the
(12:57):
next best artist that you'vejust seen on social media,
that's always going to be there.
But that cannot be our internaldriver.
See, these external pressures.
The enemy wants to use theexternal pressures to become an
internal driver, but that's nothow the kingdom works.
The kingdom works not from theoutside in, but from what the
(13:19):
inside out, that is, ourinternal drivers, become what?
The truth of God's Word, ourrelationship with Him, our
choice to rest in His goodnessand rest in His grace and
operate from a place of learningto walk by what he's modeled
for us in His Word and by theHoly Spirit's leading us, rather
(13:43):
than feeling the pressure thatthe world wants to bring on you.
I mean, if you just paused rightnow and just thought what's the
latest thing, what's the thing?
Maybe today that you've beenfeeling pressured by Pressure to
get it done, pressure to domore, pressure to be better than
(14:03):
pressure to not miss it, what'sthat thing?
And it's a great opportunity totake that opportunity.
You know the Bible says takeevery thought captive To take
that opportunity to the Lord andsay Lord, what do you say about
this?
Because I can guarantee you,grace does not rush, grace does
(14:25):
not drive, grace does notpressure.
You know what grace does Graceinvites, grace flows in a rhythm
that is set by the Holy Spirit,by life in the Spirit, and so,
nine times out of 10, if you'refeeling those feelings of
anxiety and pressure and I'mgoing to miss it and I got to do
(14:46):
it, all that kind of stuff thefirst main thing you need to do
is just take a big old breathand extricate yourself from that
situation and say Jesus, thisdoes not feel like you right now
.
Say Jesus, this does not feellike you right now and I'm
choosing not to participate.
I'm choosing not to entertainthose thoughts of anxiety right
(15:07):
now, because you know whathappens if you start
entertaining those thoughts ofanxiety.
They become a horrible dinnerguest, right?
They want refills.
They want second, thirdportions.
They want to stay for dessert.
They want a take-home box.
They want to bring friends overright, this is not the kind of
thing you want to stay fordessert.
They want to take home box.
They want to bring friends overright, this is not the kind of
thing you want to beentertaining, right.
So you got to realize that themost spiritual thing many times
that you can do when you'restarting to feel those anxious
(15:30):
feelings of driving and doingmore, is just simply to say no
and just simply realize that noteverything that comes to you,
no matter how good it may seemon the outside, not everything,
is a fit for the design of Godin your life and the season of
life that you're in.
And learning to say no canprobably be one of the most
(15:53):
spiritual and most importantthings that you do to keep you
in the rest of God in your life.
This rhythm of rest, thisgrace-paced pace of living, all
right.
Number two is this Grace has arhythm.
You know, I've seen this in myown life but, just like in
nature and in creativity, gracekind of works in these seasons.
(16:17):
Right, there's the grace to sewthings in your life, right To's
the grace to have to just to sowthings in your life, right, to
kind of get things started, toplan things.
There's a grace for growing andcultivating things in your life
.
Maybe in your art journeyyou're in a place of growing
right now.
There's a grace for harvest andman, just for enjoying the
fruit of the bounty, of all thethings that you've sown.
(16:40):
And there's also grace forresting.
Realize that every tree can'tproduce fruit in every season.
Right, there's got to be aseason of allowing ourselves to
rest, of allowing the ground togo fallow in your life.
And listen, none of thoseseasons, whether it's a season
of planting and sowing, orgrowing, or harvesting or
(17:02):
resting, neither one of those isany more the Lord than the
other.
See, the enemy wants to tellyou well, if you're not
harvesting, if you're not in theseason of bounty, that somehow
you're more than enough, you'reinadequate.
Right, you're missing what Godhas for you.
You're going to miss it.
He wants to lie to you aboutthose sort of things.
(17:23):
But there's a whole listen,friend.
There's a whole lot of freedomwhen you can realize that, hey,
this is a season of planting, itdoesn't look like the season of
harvest, or this is a season ofrest.
I just got through harvestingrest.
I just got through harvestingand this is a season to kind of
lay things down right now and dothings that bring me life
(17:44):
without any expectation of themproducing anything.
Wow, that is huge.
So I'd invite you right noweven to think what season am I
in?
Maybe put that in the commentsif you're watching here on
YouTube.
What season are you in?
Are you in a learning season?
Are you in a pruning season, aresting season, a harvest season
and growing season?
(18:05):
All of those are good whenthey're in alignment with the
season that God's got you in.
See Jesus again in Matthew 11,he says I don't want to lay
anything on your life.
That is, I don't want topressurize you.
I don't want to give you aresponsibility, a design, a
(18:25):
calling, a purpose and a plan.
I'm not going to give anythingto you and lay it on you if it's
heavy or ill-fitting, if itfeels like it's crushing you,
listen, if it feels like it'scrushing you, it's probably not
God's idea you, it's probablynot God's idea.
If it feels like I just I'llalso say this Sometimes it's not
(18:47):
God's idea, sometimes it isGod's idea, but you've been
trying to do it in your ownstrength.
See, I tell people all the timethat I coach and that we mentor
, we mentor.
You know, I've mentoredthousands of artists.
We mentor hundreds and hundredsof artists in our mentoring
program every month and I tellthem all the time.
You know this idea that I'malways trying to encourage
(19:09):
myself in the Lord to dreambigger.
Why?
Because when I dream small, itencourages me to only do things
that I can do in the natural.
It encourages me to only dothings that I can do in the
natural, and so dreaming big isone of those things that forces
you to get into the supernaturalrealm.
But here's the thing, friend ifGod's given you supernatural
(19:30):
dreams, if you know that he'scalled you as an artist and he's
created you for this time, forsuch a time as this, and the
season is right and you're goingafter it, and you know that
you're in alignment with whathe's got for you, but you're
feeling nothing but pressure andanxiety and stress and
overwhelm and all that kind ofstuff Nine times out of 10 is
because you're approaching thatin your strength, not in his
(19:53):
supernatural grace.
I've just learned over the yearsagain, I'll say it again
faithfulness is what producesfruitfulness in our life.
And when you can realize thatyour only responsibility is to
nurture and to care for, to keepin front of your eyes the thing
that God has called you to, tonurture relationship with Him,
to be faithful to the thingsthat he's called you to and
(20:16):
listen, when you do that, whenyou're diligently pursuing
everything that God's called youto do, you can trust that he's
the one that's going to bringthe multiplication, he's the one
that's going to bring theacceleration.
But I'm telling you that is achoice, because the spirit of
this world and the accuser ofthe brethren, the enemy of our
soul, he is always trying to setup circumstances that will
(20:40):
convince you otherwise.
And so you got to choose toenter into this place of rest
with the Lord and you say well,man, I've been trying to do that
.
Well, listen, I got to do itmultiple times a day.
Multiple times a day.
In fact, this is a big part ofrenewing our mind right, a big
part of renewing your mind andtaking thoughts captive.
(21:00):
You know, you've heard me maybetalk about the five R's that I
talk about in all my books, andfor you know the five R's for
renewing your mind.
The first one is recognizeright, taking every thought
captive.
Recognize is this thought thatI'm feeling right now, this
thing I'm feeling right now,does that sound and feel and
look like what's in God's wordand his best intention for my
(21:22):
life, or does it sound like anattack from the enemy, a
pressurized mirage that he'strying to lead me into?
That is our first line ofdefense and that's a choice that
only you can make.
All right Now.
Number three what's numberthree?
Co-laboring versus striving?
You know I really like to threeCo-laboring versus striving.
You know I really like to thinkof co-laboring as this.
(21:44):
Co-laboring is not you notdoing anything and waiting on
God to do everything.
No, co-laboring is us laboringtogether.
I'm doing my part, god is doinghis part, right, but it really
is about asking you know, jesus,what is it that you're doing
today?
You know, jesus said I just dothe things that I see the Father
doing, and so you can ask theLord every day as a part of your
(22:06):
normal time with Him.
Lord, what is it that you'redoing in my creative life?
What is it that you're wantingto do in my business?
What is it you're wanting to doin my relationships?
How can I partner with youtoday?
That's a super, superfoundational part of what it
means to live the abundant lifeand to live an intentional life
(22:28):
with the Lord, to live a lifethat is co-laboring.
It's one of the reasons why Ideveloped what we call the Core
Four Focus Framework.
It's the framework that weteach in the mentoring program.
It's the framework that we baseour core four planner on,
because every day, I just askartists to do four things, the
same four things I do Connectwith God, clarify what it is
(22:49):
that he tells you to do, create,be in the studio doing the
thing God's called you to do,and cultivate.
That is, connect with othersthat need to know about your art
, that want to buy your art,sell your art, share your art,
share the impact of what's goingon.
When you do those four things,that is what it looks like for
an artist to co-labor with theLord.
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You're not taking all thepressure of making it happen,
but you're doing your part.
Again, it's not about us tryingto force the outcomes, which is
where most of the frustrationcomes in our life, but it's not
about us trying to force theoutcomes, which is where most of
the frustration comes in ourlife, but it's about this
faithfully walking with the Lord, faithfully being in His
presence, faithfully renewingour mind and inviting the Holy
(23:32):
Spirit into that.
It's huge.
That allows grace to defineyour pace, not pressure and
panic.
Pressure and panic are notdesigned to set the pace of your
life.
All right that anytime youagain you feel those things, you
know that's not the Lord.
All right.
Number four practical frameworksfor grace paced creativity.
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What does that look like?
Well, again, I'm going to goback to our core four and for
those of you that haven't gottenyours yet we love these I'll
just show it here on YouTube.
If you're on the podcast, youcan get the link as well.
But our core four planner thisis a practical framework every
day.
It's a 90-day planner.
That's all about grace-pacedcreativity.
(24:17):
It causes you every day to sayLord, what are you saying, lord,
every day?
What are your priorities for metoday, lord?
How can I clarify the seasonthat I'm in and the things that
you have me to do, what feelsforced, what doesn't?
How can I cooperate with you ona regular basis?
That's what learning to walk ingrace looks like.
(24:39):
Is this constantly checking inwith the Lord?
Again, not out of fear, but outof a desire to be like Lord.
I just want to be in the pace,and right now this is feeling a
little bit rushed.
Right now it's feeling a littlebit weird, feeling a little bit
pressurized.
God, I'm just going to take amoment and breathe, maybe put on
some worship music.
I'm going to check in with you.
(25:06):
But listen, you got to realizein your life, not everything is
urgent and important.
It's got to be done right now.
Some things can be pushed offright, something that's going to
be done at the end of the week.
Some things are not for you todo, they're for other people to
do.
So you got to learn we all gotto learn to discern the things
that we say yes to and thethings that we discern to say no
to, because saying yes to thewrong things brings the wrong
results in your life.
(25:28):
Learning to say yes to the rightthings opens the door for God's
favor, for God's opportunity.
And so this sort of filter ofgrace, if you will, in your life
, when you understand who youare, what God's called you to
the season of life that you'rein, how God's grace is flowing
through you, that becomes afilter, right?
(25:51):
So when something comes intoyour life, an opportunity or a
temptation from the enemy orwhatever it is, you can just ask
hey, am I sensing right nowHoly Spirit with you?
Am I sensing right now thatthis is in alignment with my
current assignment, with mycurrent season, or is this
causing me to feel fear andguilt and shame and inadequacy
(26:13):
and rushed?
When you run it through thegrace filter, when you run it
through this filter of ofco-laboring with the Lord and
resting in him rather than beingrushed man, it just just about
every time it gives you thisclear answer of wow, that thing
that I was feeling so pressuredby that wasn't even the Lord,
that was just something tryingto take me off off my game and
(26:36):
get me focused on something thatwas not even his intention for
my life.
The last thing is this Ourunderstanding the fruit of
walking with him.
What's the fruit of walkingwith him?
The fruit of walking with Jesusis the fruit of the spirit
right Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness,
(26:56):
faithfulness I'm going to forgetone Goodness and self-control.
Did I get them all?
But listen, peace in yourstudio, learning to have joy in
the process, having fulfillmentin your journey and in your life
, seeing God open doors andexperiencing the favor of God in
your life, this sort ofgrace-paced creativity in your
(27:19):
life and in your business.
This is where you start to livelife to the fullest, live the
abundant life.
This is what starts producingdepth in your life.
This is what starts producing agroundedness in your life and
sort of you know, depth overspeed, if you will, this sort of
idea that we're looking forlongevity, not just for a quick
(27:42):
blow up and then burnout.
I don't know about you, but Imean I'm 51 right now.
I want to be an artist for aslong as I live.
I want to be about the thingsthat God's called me as long as
I am taking breath on this earth.
But the only way that you and Ican do that is through living
this grace-paced life of restwith Him and listen as you learn
(28:06):
to walk in that.
You know it happens slowly butsurely.
There's a subtleness that comesin your heart, your creative
voice begins to mature, yourimpact begins to be multiplied
and your heart stays soft and itstays discerning and you have
an ear, if you will, toward hisvoice.
That's how maturity in thekingdom happens.
(28:28):
And so, my friend, I want youto realize your art is important
, being productive is important,doing things for the Lord is
important.
But listen, life in the spiritand life well lived as a son and
as a daughter, that isessential.
If you've grown up, maybe eventoday you're sitting there
(28:50):
thinking that somehow Jesus isbehind you, just kind of
cracking the whip.
Get to it.
You better get busy, you betterget Listen.
I just want to tell you that isnot the voice of the Lord, that
is not the testimony of Jesus,that is not the model of Jesus
in His Word.
I want to invite you today Go,grab a copy of the Message Bible
.
Go any other copy as well, itdoesn't matter.
(29:10):
But look up Matthew 11, 28 and30 and read those verses again
and ask the Holy Spirit, holySpirit, what does it look like
for me to walk in the unforcedrhythms of your grace?
I want to encourage you to dothat, because when you do,
everything starts to change.
I also want to encourage you.
(29:31):
If this is an area of your lifethat you know wow, I have
struggled with this a long timeand I think I get it Then I'm
back in the gully, if you will.
I'm back on the side of theroad, back in this rut, doing
the same things I always did,and you're just kind of on this
roller coaster of results inyour life.
I want to invite you to checkout the Foundations course.
Our Foundations course issomething that I developed for
(29:54):
artists who are really wantingto get clear about God's vision
for their life, really allow theHoly Spirit to come in and heal
the broken places of your heart, learn how to renew your mind
and also begin to get clearabout the habits and practices
that every artist needs in ourlife to start really walking in
alignment with everything thatGod's got for you, whether
(30:14):
that's a business, whetherthat's ministry, whether that's
just art, is personal enjoymentor just you know, you just want
to see your life be fulfilled asa creative person.
The Foundations course hasproven itself to be absolutely
transformative in the lives ofartists and I want to make sure
that you have the opportunity tograb that today.
You can get all the informationright here in the description
(30:36):
and become a part of theFoundations course and not only
join me, who's there every stepof the way with you, but also
join artists from all over theworld in that journey as well.
All right, my friend, I want topray and just ask God to really
do some incredible things inyour life as you start really
totally taking seriously, maybefor the first time, this idea of
grace, paced living in yourcreative life.
(30:57):
So, jesus, we thank you.
God, we thank you that you cameas a man and you lived and you
went through every pressurefilled situation and under
underwent all the temptationsand anxieties that the enemy
wanted to throw on you.
God, you went through thosewith the grace of the Father
(31:18):
empowering you to be able towalk in a supernatural way.
And, jesus, we know that thesame power that raised you from
the dead lives in us and that wecan live that same grace-filled
, grace-paced life.
But, lord, we can't do itwithout you and Holy Spirit.
I know that you've used ourtime today in my friend's life
(31:38):
to begin to prick their heartand begin to bring things to
their mind that are maybe areasof their life that they've
allowed the enemy to come in andbring pressure and anxiety and
just a rushed feeling.
And, lord, I pray that by yourHoly Spirit, you would lead them
in these next moments, and evenright now, god, would you lead
(32:00):
them into your truth about whoyou've created them to be, what
you've called them to do, theseason of life they're in the
pace of the journey that you'vecalled them to.
We thank you for that, lord, inJesus' name.
Amen.
Again, friend, thanks for beinghere.
If you're watching on YouTube,please leave me a comment.
(32:20):
Let me know what the Lordshowed you as I prayed.
Maybe let me know what he wasbringing up in your heart as I
was teaching today.
I would love to know that.
And, of course, if you've got aquestion, let me know.
I'd love to answer that for youas well, either in the comments
or, who knows, maybe on one ofthe episodes upcoming.
All right, I love you, friend.
Thanks again for being here.
Be sure to share this with afriend If you've not yet hit the
(32:49):
subscribe button, and remembertill next time you were created
to thrive.
Bye.
Hey, my friend.
Before you go, make sure thatyou're signed up for the
Thriving Christian Artist 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 freeand it includes the latest
podcast episode, featured artistspotlights, a worship song of
(33:09):
the week and again, tons of tipsand encouragement and
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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.
I don't know about you, but it's super easy to get
overwhelmed and frustrated andjust feeling really driven when
everything around you these daysfeels like you got to do more
and go faster and achieve moreand be better and get in front
of this person and that personand have more followers on this
social media post and it justseems like success.
The way the world promises itis always tied to doing more or
(00:24):
going faster or working harder.
But what if life in the kingdomand what if your greatest
artistic achievements and yourgreatest fulfillment in life is
not from working harder butactually from learning to slow
down and walking at the pacethat God sets for your life?
We're going to talk about thattoday and how to do it
practically today.
On the Thriving ChristianArtist.
(00:45):
All over the world, artists areawakening Painters and potters,
writers and weavers, poets anddancers.
Not chasing followers or fame,but sons and daughters called
for such a time as this,transformed from the inside out,
creating with purpose,releasing the glory of God and
living in the power of thekingdom.
Right now, this is the ThrivingChristian Artist.
(01:08):
Well, hey, friends, super gladthat you're with me today,
whether it's your first time,first time in a long time or
whether you're a regularlistener and viewer of the
podcast.
I'm really really glad thatyou're here.
Make sure that you hit thesubscribe button so you don't
miss any of the great contentthat I'm putting out here every
week to encourage artists on ourjourney, not only with the Lord
, but also in our art practiceand even art business, depending
(01:29):
on what God's called you to inthis season of your life.
You know, I don't know aboutyou, but I can't tell you how
many artists that I've talked toover the years who are living
kind of in this constantfrustration.
They're running themselvesragged trying to figure out how
do I create more and post moreand sell more and get out there
and just on this constant cycleof repeat and feeling like it's
(01:50):
always got to be bigger andbetter and faster and more, and
they feel like they nevermeasure up.
It's sort of this always thisgame of inadequacy and trying to
to feel like they measure up inthis world and among other
artists, measure up in thisworld and among other artists
and you know, if you're notcareful, whether you love Jesus
or not, it's really, really easyto think that that's normal,
(02:10):
that that's the way we'resupposed to live as artists and,
for many of us, asentrepreneurs.
But I want to really help toreshift and reshape sort of your
idea of what the pace of lifeis supposed to look like in the
kingdom of God.
Now, this doesn't mean that wedon't get up every day and do
the things that God's called usto do and work hard, work
(02:31):
diligently and that sort ofthing.
But I want to give you adifferent model, if you will,
today, a model of rest, a modelof cooperation that really is in
constant odds and constanttension with everything that the
world is trying to get us toparticipate in and, frankly,
(02:51):
maybe at great odds witheverything that you've been
taught or that's been modeled toyou, or even that you've
practiced in your own life.
I love that old quote from MayaAngelou that says when you know
better, you do better, and Ihope today is going to be one of
those opportunities that whenyou start to realize that God's
got a different plan for yourlife, jesus has a better way, a
(03:12):
better pace of life for you inthe season of life you're living
, I hope that that's going toreally bring into a lot of
freedom today and empower you tolive the life that Jesus died
for you to live, and the HolySpirit is empowering you to live
today.
I can remember years ago when Isaw the verse I think it's 1
Thessalonians 4, 11, that talksabout this sort of ideal life of
(03:37):
living quietly, minding our ownbusiness and working with our
hands, and I said, boy, that's arecipe for a great life.
You know, sounds like to me.
You know, to be able to livequietly, do the things that God
puts on my heart to do, to loveHim, to love others, to trust
Him for the outflow and theoutput of my life, to trust that
(03:59):
fruitfulness is the result ofmy faithfulness, not of my
striving man, that's a great,great way to live.
I want to say to you, if you'resomebody that's living right
now in a way that feels likeyou're just tired and worn out,
and you're always feeling likeyou're two steps forward, one
step back, never really makingprogress, I do want to invite
(04:21):
you into something today that Ithink is really radically
freeing and is at odds with thelife that you may have been
living so far.
You know, I love to start inScripture every time we get
together, because it really isthe basis for everything that we
do in our life as sons anddaughters in the kingdom and as
(04:41):
artists, right as the Bible andthe leadership of the Holy
Spirit, the voice of the Lord.
These are our signposts, theseare our compasses, if you will,
that guide us on our journey.
And there's really no betterplace than to look in Matthew 11
.
I think it's in verses 28through 30, where Jesus comes
(05:01):
into the middle of the hustleand bustle of life and really
gives, just like he always does,gives a completely new model
for living, and I don't thinkthere's any better translation
of this than the Message Bible.
It's just become one of myfavorite places to read this
verse and to commit it to memory.
(05:21):
But in the Message version itsays this.
It says are you tired and wornout?
And some of you may know this,as you know, come to me all you
who are heavy laden, and I'llgive you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, for myyoke is easy and my burden is
light.
So this is a little bitdifferent translation, but just
let this wash over you, right?
(05:46):
It says are you tired and wornout, burned out on religion?
Come to me, get away with meand you will recover your life.
I'll show you how to take areal rest.
Walk with me and work with me.
Watch how I do it, learn theunforced rhythms of grace.
I won't lay anything heavy orill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you'lllearn to live freely and
(06:08):
lightly.
Wow, I can think of so manytimes in my life where living
freely and lightly were not mytestimony, living freely and
lightly were not the way that Iwould describe myself.
I find that many times in mylife the enemy will try to pull
you on either sides of thependulum right.
(06:29):
Either get you just to whereyou're totally freaked out and
paralyzed because of inadequacyand fear and anxiety and just
paralyzes you and you can't doanything, or on the other side,
you're just hustling, grind allthe time, trying to make it
happen, trying to measure up tothe latest thing that the world
is trying to sell you that saysyou know that's what success
(06:50):
equals to?
And man, it's anything butfreely and lightly living.
It's anything but havingsomething that's well-fitting.
It is much more akin to feelinglike it's heavy and not fitting
, like it's really bringing youdown and really cramping your
style and forcing you, if youwill, into a life that is not
(07:14):
the life that Jesus designed forus.
And you know why I think a lotof people try to make the Bible
more poetic than practical, andI've been guilty of that in my
life.
This is a super practicalinvitation from Jesus.
It's an invitation to lay downthe life and the way of life,
(07:39):
the pace of life that you mayhave been living in, and realize
that hurry and bustle andstriving and grinding and all
the stuff that takes your energy, all the stuff that makes you
feel like you're not inadequate,all the stuff that makes you
feel like you're on thiscontinuous hamster wheel.
Realize, maybe for the firsttime in your life, this is not
(08:00):
God's best for my life.
Now, what does this not mean?
It doesn't mean that he doesn'twant you to be about the things
that he's called you to.
It doesn't mean that you'resupposed to stop creating.
It doesn't mean that you'resupposed to lay on the floor and
just worship him all day andexpect the angels to bring you
manna and clients.
No, it means that weparticipate with him right in
(08:21):
the things that he shows us,right as we walk with him, just
like the disciples, as we walkwith Jesus daily, as we're led
by his voice and we see themodel of Jesus's life in the
Bible.
We live in an atmosphere ofrestedness.
See the Sabbath.
I love it in Hebrews when itsays there therefore remains a
(08:42):
Sabbath rest for the people ofGod.
That doesn't mean that we'resupposed to be living all on
Sunday, but it means that welive.
The position of our heart isone that we say, even in my not
hustling and grinding, in my notworrying about what's going to
happen tomorrow, in my notburning the candle at both ends,
(09:02):
in my not working, feeling thepressure of working 12-hour days
, seven days a week, just tomake it out of this curse of the
starving artist.
In order for me not to do that,I'm going to choose the Sabbath
life, in other words, what I'mgoing to choose, to rest in the
fact that, even when I'm notdoing what everybody else is
(09:24):
doing, I know that God is doingmore than enough.
God has already providedeverything that I need, and as
I'll choose to rest in him andflow with him, in this sort of
grace-paced rhythm of life, ourart and our life become a lot
more than just output, a lotmore than just product.
(09:45):
It really becomes an overflowof our relationship with Him.
See, that's where the peace is,that's where the fruitfulness
is, that's where the grace is,not from you and I trying more,
but from us learning to rest inHim.
Our faithfulness is whatproduces fruitfulness in our
(10:05):
life.
I will say that again ourfaithfulness, and really our
faithfulness to rest in Him, iswhat produces fruitfulness.
And so the whole Christian life,I think, for so many of us, is
just these ongoing opportunitieswhere Jesus, through the power
of the Holy Spirit and throughhis word and through the
(10:26):
situations of life, is teachingus to rest in him even as we're
actively working with him and soreally understand this.
This doesn't mean that you'reunplugging from what God's
called you to do, but it meansthat you're changing the
position of your heart to do.
(10:46):
But it means that you'rechanging the position of your
heart, you're choosing to comeout of agreement with the
pressurized sort of way that thespirit of mammon and the spirit
of this world and the enemy ofour soul wants us to live, which
is that I got to do more, I gotto produce more, I got to go
faster.
It's choosing to come out ofagreement with that and coming
into this idea that I've alreadybeen given everything that I
(11:07):
need and as I choose to walk inthis grace-paced life with the
Lord, he's going to bringeverything that I need exactly
at the time I need it, and I cantrust that he's the one is in
control as I learn to lean intohim.
So I want to give you fivethings today.
I think that I've learned overthe years that are things that
(11:28):
I'm endeavoring to do in my ownlife, things that I teach in our
courses and books and mentoringprogram, but things that I know
have real-life, practicalability to change the way that
you're walking and experiencinglife every day.
These are doors, if you willopen doors, open opportunities,
invitations, if you will, tostep into this sort of
(11:50):
grace-paced life that Jesus hasfor you.
The first thing is what we'vekind of been talking about a
little bit, which is learn toescape, choose to escape, rather
this more is better trap, allright, there's always this lie
that the enemy's trying to bringus that you know, if you
produce more, if you do itfaster, if you do it better, if
you do it this or this and this,if you're, you know, if you're
(12:12):
not producing constantly, thatsometime somehow you're falling
behind, sometime somehow you'reyou're less than you got to
choose to realize again this issomething God does with you, not
to you.
You got to choose to realizeagain this is something God does
with you, not to you.
You got to choose to realizethat that is not the truth of
God's word.
See, external pressure isalways going to be there in our
(12:35):
life.
Right Problems of life aregoing to be there.
External pressures of life aregoing to be there.
Deadlines are going to be there.
Competition is always going tobe there.
Feelings of inadequacy arealways going to be trying to
come in.
So none of that is changing,right, none of that is changing.
Social media is going to bethere.
Your sales goals, your ideasfor what you want to do, the
(12:57):
next best artist that you'vejust seen on social media,
that's always going to be there.
But that cannot be our internaldriver.
See, these external pressures.
The enemy wants to use theexternal pressures to become an
internal driver, but that's nothow the kingdom works.
The kingdom works not from theoutside in, but from what the
(13:19):
inside out, that is, ourinternal drivers, become what?
The truth of God's Word, ourrelationship with Him, our
choice to rest in His goodnessand rest in His grace and
operate from a place of learningto walk by what he's modeled
for us in His Word and by theHoly Spirit's leading us, rather
(13:43):
than feeling the pressure thatthe world wants to bring on you.
I mean, if you just paused rightnow and just thought what's the
latest thing, what's the thing?
Maybe today that you've beenfeeling pressured by Pressure to
get it done, pressure to domore, pressure to be better than
(14:03):
pressure to not miss it, what'sthat thing?
And it's a great opportunity totake that opportunity.
You know the Bible says takeevery thought captive To take
that opportunity to the Lord andsay Lord, what do you say about
this?
Because I can guarantee you,grace does not rush, grace does
(14:25):
not drive, grace does notpressure.
You know what grace does Graceinvites, grace flows in a rhythm
that is set by the Holy Spirit,by life in the Spirit, and so,
nine times out of 10, if you'refeeling those feelings of
anxiety and pressure and I'mgoing to miss it and I got to do
(14:46):
it, all that kind of stuff thefirst main thing you need to do
is just take a big old breathand extricate yourself from that
situation and say Jesus, thisdoes not feel like you right now
.
Say Jesus, this does not feellike you right now and I'm
choosing not to participate.
I'm choosing not to entertainthose thoughts of anxiety right
(15:07):
now, because you know whathappens if you start
entertaining those thoughts ofanxiety.
They become a horrible dinnerguest, right?
They want refills.
They want second, thirdportions.
They want to stay for dessert.
They want a take-home box.
They want to bring friends overright, this is not the kind of
thing you want to stay fordessert.
They want to take home box.
They want to bring friends overright, this is not the kind of
thing you want to beentertaining, right.
So you got to realize that themost spiritual thing many times
that you can do when you'restarting to feel those anxious
(15:30):
feelings of driving and doingmore, is just simply to say no
and just simply realize that noteverything that comes to you,
no matter how good it may seemon the outside, not everything,
is a fit for the design of Godin your life and the season of
life that you're in.
And learning to say no canprobably be one of the most
(15:53):
spiritual and most importantthings that you do to keep you
in the rest of God in your life.
This rhythm of rest, thisgrace-paced pace of living, all
right.
Number two is this Grace has arhythm.
You know, I've seen this in myown life but, just like in
nature and in creativity, gracekind of works in these seasons.
(16:17):
Right, there's the grace to sewthings in your life, right To's
the grace to have to just to sowthings in your life, right, to
kind of get things started, toplan things.
There's a grace for growing andcultivating things in your life
.
Maybe in your art journeyyou're in a place of growing
right now.
There's a grace for harvest andman, just for enjoying the
fruit of the bounty, of all thethings that you've sown.
(16:40):
And there's also grace forresting.
Realize that every tree can'tproduce fruit in every season.
Right, there's got to be aseason of allowing ourselves to
rest, of allowing the ground togo fallow in your life.
And listen, none of thoseseasons, whether it's a season
of planting and sowing, orgrowing, or harvesting or
(17:02):
resting, neither one of those isany more the Lord than the
other.
See, the enemy wants to tellyou well, if you're not
harvesting, if you're not in theseason of bounty, that somehow
you're more than enough, you'reinadequate.
Right, you're missing what Godhas for you.
You're going to miss it.
He wants to lie to you aboutthose sort of things.
(17:23):
But there's a whole listen,friend.
There's a whole lot of freedomwhen you can realize that, hey,
this is a season of planting, itdoesn't look like the season of
harvest, or this is a season ofrest.
I just got through harvestingrest.
I just got through harvestingand this is a season to kind of
lay things down right now and dothings that bring me life
(17:44):
without any expectation of themproducing anything.
Wow, that is huge.
So I'd invite you right noweven to think what season am I
in?
Maybe put that in the commentsif you're watching here on
YouTube.
What season are you in?
Are you in a learning season?
Are you in a pruning season, aresting season, a harvest season
and growing season?
(18:05):
All of those are good whenthey're in alignment with the
season that God's got you in.
See Jesus again in Matthew 11,he says I don't want to lay
anything on your life.
That is, I don't want topressurize you.
I don't want to give you aresponsibility, a design, a
(18:25):
calling, a purpose and a plan.
I'm not going to give anythingto you and lay it on you if it's
heavy or ill-fitting, if itfeels like it's crushing you,
listen, if it feels like it'scrushing you, it's probably not
God's idea you, it's probablynot God's idea.
If it feels like I just I'llalso say this Sometimes it's not
(18:47):
God's idea, sometimes it isGod's idea, but you've been
trying to do it in your ownstrength.
See, I tell people all the timethat I coach and that we mentor
, we mentor.
You know, I've mentoredthousands of artists.
We mentor hundreds and hundredsof artists in our mentoring
program every month and I tellthem all the time.
You know this idea that I'malways trying to encourage
(19:09):
myself in the Lord to dreambigger.
Why?
Because when I dream small, itencourages me to only do things
that I can do in the natural.
It encourages me to only dothings that I can do in the
natural, and so dreaming big isone of those things that forces
you to get into the supernaturalrealm.
But here's the thing, friend ifGod's given you supernatural
(19:30):
dreams, if you know that he'scalled you as an artist and he's
created you for this time, forsuch a time as this, and the
season is right and you're goingafter it, and you know that
you're in alignment with whathe's got for you, but you're
feeling nothing but pressure andanxiety and stress and
overwhelm and all that kind ofstuff Nine times out of 10 is
because you're approaching thatin your strength, not in his
(19:53):
supernatural grace.
I've just learned over the yearsagain, I'll say it again
faithfulness is what producesfruitfulness in our life.
And when you can realize thatyour only responsibility is to
nurture and to care for, to keepin front of your eyes the thing
that God has called you to, tonurture relationship with Him,
to be faithful to the thingsthat he's called you to and
(20:16):
listen, when you do that, whenyou're diligently pursuing
everything that God's called youto do, you can trust that he's
the one that's going to bringthe multiplication, he's the one
that's going to bring theacceleration.
But I'm telling you that is achoice, because the spirit of
this world and the accuser ofthe brethren, the enemy of our
soul, he is always trying to setup circumstances that will
(20:40):
convince you otherwise.
And so you got to choose toenter into this place of rest
with the Lord and you say well,man, I've been trying to do that
.
Well, listen, I got to do itmultiple times a day.
Multiple times a day.
In fact, this is a big part ofrenewing our mind right, a big
part of renewing your mind andtaking thoughts captive.
(21:00):
You know, you've heard me maybetalk about the five R's that I
talk about in all my books, andfor you know the five R's for
renewing your mind.
The first one is recognizeright, taking every thought
captive.
Recognize is this thought thatI'm feeling right now, this
thing I'm feeling right now,does that sound and feel and
look like what's in God's wordand his best intention for my
(21:22):
life, or does it sound like anattack from the enemy, a
pressurized mirage that he'strying to lead me into?
That is our first line ofdefense and that's a choice that
only you can make.
All right Now.
Number three what's numberthree?
Co-laboring versus striving?
You know I really like to threeCo-laboring versus striving.
You know I really like to thinkof co-laboring as this.
(21:44):
Co-laboring is not you notdoing anything and waiting on
God to do everything.
No, co-laboring is us laboringtogether.
I'm doing my part, god is doinghis part, right, but it really
is about asking you know, jesus,what is it that you're doing
today?
You know, jesus said I just dothe things that I see the Father
doing, and so you can ask theLord every day as a part of your
(22:06):
normal time with Him.
Lord, what is it that you'redoing in my creative life?
What is it that you're wantingto do in my business?
What is it you're wanting to doin my relationships?
How can I partner with youtoday?
That's a super, superfoundational part of what it
means to live the abundant lifeand to live an intentional life
(22:28):
with the Lord, to live a lifethat is co-laboring.
It's one of the reasons why Ideveloped what we call the Core
Four Focus Framework.
It's the framework that weteach in the mentoring program.
It's the framework that we baseour core four planner on,
because every day, I just askartists to do four things, the
same four things I do Connectwith God, clarify what it is
(22:49):
that he tells you to do, create,be in the studio doing the
thing God's called you to do,and cultivate.
That is, connect with othersthat need to know about your art
, that want to buy your art,sell your art, share your art,
share the impact of what's goingon.
When you do those four things,that is what it looks like for
an artist to co-labor with theLord.
(23:11):
You're not taking all thepressure of making it happen,
but you're doing your part.
Again, it's not about us tryingto force the outcomes, which is
where most of the frustrationcomes in our life, but it's not
about us trying to force theoutcomes, which is where most of
the frustration comes in ourlife, but it's about this
faithfully walking with the Lord, faithfully being in His
presence, faithfully renewingour mind and inviting the Holy
(23:32):
Spirit into that.
It's huge.
That allows grace to defineyour pace, not pressure and
panic.
Pressure and panic are notdesigned to set the pace of your
life.
All right that anytime youagain you feel those things, you
know that's not the Lord.
All right.
Number four practical frameworksfor grace paced creativity.
(23:56):
What does that look like?
Well, again, I'm going to goback to our core four and for
those of you that haven't gottenyours yet we love these I'll
just show it here on YouTube.
If you're on the podcast, youcan get the link as well.
But our core four planner thisis a practical framework every
day.
It's a 90-day planner.
That's all about grace-pacedcreativity.
(24:17):
It causes you every day to sayLord, what are you saying, lord,
every day?
What are your priorities for metoday, lord?
How can I clarify the seasonthat I'm in and the things that
you have me to do, what feelsforced, what doesn't?
How can I cooperate with you ona regular basis?
That's what learning to walk ingrace looks like.
(24:39):
Is this constantly checking inwith the Lord?
Again, not out of fear, but outof a desire to be like Lord.
I just want to be in the pace,and right now this is feeling a
little bit rushed.
Right now it's feeling a littlebit weird, feeling a little bit
pressurized.
God, I'm just going to take amoment and breathe, maybe put on
some worship music.
I'm going to check in with you.
(25:06):
But listen, you got to realizein your life, not everything is
urgent and important.
It's got to be done right now.
Some things can be pushed offright, something that's going to
be done at the end of the week.
Some things are not for you todo, they're for other people to
do.
So you got to learn we all gotto learn to discern the things
that we say yes to and thethings that we discern to say no
to, because saying yes to thewrong things brings the wrong
results in your life.
(25:28):
Learning to say yes to the rightthings opens the door for God's
favor, for God's opportunity.
And so this sort of filter ofgrace, if you will, in your life
, when you understand who youare, what God's called you to
the season of life that you'rein, how God's grace is flowing
through you, that becomes afilter, right?
(25:51):
So when something comes intoyour life, an opportunity or a
temptation from the enemy orwhatever it is, you can just ask
hey, am I sensing right nowHoly Spirit with you?
Am I sensing right now thatthis is in alignment with my
current assignment, with mycurrent season, or is this
causing me to feel fear andguilt and shame and inadequacy
(26:13):
and rushed?
When you run it through thegrace filter, when you run it
through this filter of ofco-laboring with the Lord and
resting in him rather than beingrushed man, it just just about
every time it gives you thisclear answer of wow, that thing
that I was feeling so pressuredby that wasn't even the Lord,
that was just something tryingto take me off off my game and
(26:36):
get me focused on something thatwas not even his intention for
my life.
The last thing is this Ourunderstanding the fruit of
walking with him.
What's the fruit of walkingwith him?
The fruit of walking with Jesusis the fruit of the spirit
right Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness,
(26:56):
faithfulness I'm going to forgetone Goodness and self-control.
Did I get them all?
But listen, peace in yourstudio, learning to have joy in
the process, having fulfillmentin your journey and in your life
, seeing God open doors andexperiencing the favor of God in
your life, this sort ofgrace-paced creativity in your
(27:19):
life and in your business.
This is where you start to livelife to the fullest, live the
abundant life.
This is what starts producingdepth in your life.
This is what starts producing agroundedness in your life and
sort of you know, depth overspeed, if you will, this sort of
idea that we're looking forlongevity, not just for a quick
(27:42):
blow up and then burnout.
I don't know about you, but Imean I'm 51 right now.
I want to be an artist for aslong as I live.
I want to be about the thingsthat God's called me as long as
I am taking breath on this earth.
But the only way that you and Ican do that is through living
this grace-paced life of restwith Him and listen as you learn
(28:06):
to walk in that.
You know it happens slowly butsurely.
There's a subtleness that comesin your heart, your creative
voice begins to mature, yourimpact begins to be multiplied
and your heart stays soft and itstays discerning and you have
an ear, if you will, toward hisvoice.
That's how maturity in thekingdom happens.
(28:28):
And so, my friend, I want youto realize your art is important
, being productive is important,doing things for the Lord is
important.
But listen, life in the spiritand life well lived as a son and
as a daughter, that isessential.
If you've grown up, maybe eventoday you're sitting there
(28:50):
thinking that somehow Jesus isbehind you, just kind of
cracking the whip.
Get to it.
You better get busy, you betterget Listen.
I just want to tell you that isnot the voice of the Lord, that
is not the testimony of Jesus,that is not the model of Jesus
in His Word.
I want to invite you today Go,grab a copy of the Message Bible
.
Go any other copy as well, itdoesn't matter.
(29:10):
But look up Matthew 11, 28 and30 and read those verses again
and ask the Holy Spirit, holySpirit, what does it look like
for me to walk in the unforcedrhythms of your grace?
I want to encourage you to dothat, because when you do,
everything starts to change.
I also want to encourage you.
(29:31):
If this is an area of your lifethat you know wow, I have
struggled with this a long timeand I think I get it Then I'm
back in the gully, if you will.
I'm back on the side of theroad, back in this rut, doing
the same things I always did,and you're just kind of on this
roller coaster of results inyour life.
I want to invite you to checkout the Foundations course.
Our Foundations course issomething that I developed for
(29:54):
artists who are really wantingto get clear about God's vision
for their life, really allow theHoly Spirit to come in and heal
the broken places of your heart, learn how to renew your mind
and also begin to get clearabout the habits and practices
that every artist needs in ourlife to start really walking in
alignment with everything thatGod's got for you, whether
(30:14):
that's a business, whetherthat's ministry, whether that's
just art, is personal enjoymentor just you know, you just want
to see your life be fulfilled asa creative person.
The Foundations course hasproven itself to be absolutely
transformative in the lives ofartists and I want to make sure
that you have the opportunity tograb that today.
You can get all the informationright here in the description
(30:36):
and become a part of theFoundations course and not only
join me, who's there every stepof the way with you, but also
join artists from all over theworld in that journey as well.
All right, my friend, I want topray and just ask God to really
do some incredible things inyour life as you start really
totally taking seriously, maybefor the first time, this idea of
grace, paced living in yourcreative life.
(30:57):
So, jesus, we thank you.
God, we thank you that you cameas a man and you lived and you
went through every pressurefilled situation and under
underwent all the temptationsand anxieties that the enemy
wanted to throw on you.
God, you went through thosewith the grace of the Father
(31:18):
empowering you to be able towalk in a supernatural way.
And, jesus, we know that thesame power that raised you from
the dead lives in us and that wecan live that same grace-filled
, grace-paced life.
But, lord, we can't do itwithout you and Holy Spirit.
I know that you've used ourtime today in my friend's life
(31:38):
to begin to prick their heartand begin to bring things to
their mind that are maybe areasof their life that they've
allowed the enemy to come in andbring pressure and anxiety and
just a rushed feeling.
And, lord, I pray that by yourHoly Spirit, you would lead them
in these next moments, and evenright now, god, would you lead
(32:00):
them into your truth about whoyou've created them to be, what
you've called them to do, theseason of life they're in the
pace of the journey that you'vecalled them to.
We thank you for that, lord, inJesus' name.
Amen.
Again, friend, thanks for beinghere.
If you're watching on YouTube,please leave me a comment.
(32:20):
Let me know what the Lordshowed you as I prayed.
Maybe let me know what he wasbringing up in your heart as I
was teaching today.
I would love to know that.
And, of course, if you've got aquestion, let me know.
I'd love to answer that for youas well, either in the comments
or, who knows, maybe on one ofthe episodes upcoming.
All right, I love you, friend.
Thanks again for being here.
Be sure to share this with afriend If you've not yet hit the
(32:49):
subscribe button, and remembertill next time you were created
to thrive.
Bye.
Hey, my friend.
Before you go, make sure thatyou're signed up for the
Thriving Christian Artist 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 freeand it includes the latest
podcast episode, featured artistspotlights, a worship song of
(33:09):
the week and again, tons of tipsand 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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