What does it mean to co-create with God?
It all started with someone who created something.
God is the creator with a capital C. Being a creator is who God is, and of course much more, but God is the one who loves to imagine, explore and create with His own hands. And he created us. Formed us. Blew life into our lungs. The fun part is that we can do it too! Maybe not make something come alive, but we can create something beautiful that gives life in another way.
The creative process is both a joyful and painful process. Perfectionism often comes in the way and says it is ugly no matter how long you work on your art. It will never be perfect. And that it is correct. Your art will never be perfect in the eyes of an human. Luckily in God's eyes it is. Everytime. Every part of the creative process, it is perfect. Because He loves you and He loves what you create.
God is longing to create your art with you! He loves to create, you love to create - why not combine the forces together? Dream team, if you ask me. So what does it mean to co-create with God? Practically, I think it can look different from person to person because everyone has their unique relationship with Him. So what does it mean to co-create with God?
I guess there is no correct answer, I just think openly here, but for me I think it means that you invite Jesus into your creative process. You include Him in your time of creation. Maybe it looks like you open up the session in prayer and then you just work. Maybe it looks like you ask Holy Spirit: "Shall I mix these two colours or the other ones? Where do you want me to go for the next photo? What should my character respond to this situation?" Maybe God shows you images that gives you inspiration to create something or you just do your thing and trust God is with you in the process.
My personal experience is the last one. I used to be stressed of creating something "Christian" and godly. I thought I had to ask God all the time in my creative process of what I should do, what I should create. Which are good questions to ask, but for me, it limited me. I didn't creative in a good, natural flow with this type of thinking.
My artform is words. Writing stories. I think I was around 12 years old when I told my parents that I want to be an author who writes books about God without mentioning God. Just like Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. But I still thought co-creating with God looked like Him controlling me.
That was my perspective until I joined a prayer weekend while I was studying. There God spoke so clearly to me. OK, little bit background story before I continue:
In the beginning of my bachelor degree in Creative Writing, both my teachers and classmates did not understand or "get" my writing. I learned to be OK with not writing good all the time, but when they gave me feedback, it was like they didn't know what to say. Since they didn't "get" it, they couldn't give good constructive feedback either. If it makes sense? During the prayer weekend God shared the reason why my class was acting like this. It was because they didn't know Jesus. I have Jesus in me and therefore, whatever I create, Jesus flows naturally in my writing. I don't need to force Jesus "out" of me, it just happens naturally that I create something that honours God and represents God's Kingdom. It was such a relief to me! Ever since then, I have been more confident in my writing. Both in what I create and in co-creating with Jesus. As long as I am connected with Him, I co-create with Him naturally.
So I hope this gave you a bit more idea of how it can look like to co-create with God and what it means. On the Creative DTS here, we explore this together. And it is so much fun!
Written by Sara K. Sortland