A writer friend took the summer off to devote to her family. And she had some serious soul-searching to do.
“What am I doing?” She asked herself. “Am I just wasting my time with my head in the clouds? Writing frothy fiction to entertain overstuffed saints?” When she shared this with me, she looked me in the eye. “Is this just a frivolous waste of time?”
Wow. Those words hit me hard. How often have I thought the same thing? Wondered if I was on the right track, or chasing a fancy.
Serious soul-searching is best done in God’s presence. I presented it to Him. As soon as I spoke the words aloud, a thought occurred to me. A question, really. Actually two questions. “Is a beautiful painting a frivolous waste of time? Is a well-written symphony a frivolous waste of time?”
Creativity, art—or at least the doing of it—can sometimes seem like a shallow pursuit. What great meaning does the work have? Does it stir you? Does it speak to your inner man? It doesn’t always have to. Sometimes you just need to laugh, so you read a humorous story, or watch a funny movie. But during those times when you seek growth or spiritual renewal, you hunger for something with more depth.
Read a great novel or watch a well-crafted movie, and it stirs your creativity. Stroll through an art gallery or listen to your favorite music. It can calm your teeming soul.
It all comes down to a very personal decision. A call. A gifted writer crafts a story that captures readers and takes them to another place. Skillfully touches hearts and feeds hungry souls. My writer friend has that kind of gift. I hope she’ll find her way back. Maybe she’ll read this, see herself and know, God has given us the power to create beautiful things. Perhaps it’s because He loves beautiful things.
Betty Thomason Owens 