I Have My Way
The constant pull is for us to try and make life work for us.
We do this with our friends, boss, spouse, children, and social media. And we do it with our creativity.
That’s why conquering the self is essential. The road to greater creativity doesn’t revolve around us—our way of doing things, what we want to achieve, the need for validation. It just doesn’t. Consider what happened when Adam and Eve tried to make everything revolve around them. It didn’t go well.
Our reasons for creating often reveal our systems to get what we want—whether validation, security, control, power, or success. It is a way to have our needs met on our terms. As we create without the Creator, we unintentionally accelerate our glitches.
We end up choosing the Tree of Knowledge—what we think is good—over the Tree of Life—what God says is good. In our efforts to make it to the top of the mountain, we end up digging a deeper hole. Our way, it turns out, leaves us restless, weary, and stuck.
Our creativity doesn’t originate with us. The measure of our popularity isn’t the measure of our creativity. A degree or an industry doesn’t validate or invalidate our creativity. The world didn’t give us our creativity—nor can it limit or define it.
This is why self-help isn’t helpful. On this journey, we must let go of our way in order to find The Way. God has given us our creativity. Doesn’t it make sense that the only way to fully understand our talents and desires is to enter into them with him? But as soon as we embrace this truth, another lie lingers on the path ahead. Like a serpent, its fangs carry a deadly toxin meant to stop us in our tracks.
The lie says this isn’t for you. After all, there’s little to show for past efforts. Why get your hopes up again instead of just facing the reality that you aren’t creative? At best, you get things done. So just put your head down and do more. But don’t expect more.
If you wrestle with those thoughts, the next chapter is for you. It’s time to break the lie.
(From The Creativity Glitch: How to Stop Being Stuck, Find Your Groove, & Create with God. Copyright © 2026 Allen Arnold.)
This reading was crafted to encourage your pursuit of story and creativity with God. Your donation makes this crowd-funded initiative possible. You can support it via PAYPAL (or by check to Allen Arnold at PO Box 62841, Colorado Springs, CO 80962).
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