How To Trust God And Rest Through Creativity When You Feel Overwhelmed

Introduction

If you have experienced a season of rest from work or a slower time of reflection in your busy calendar, you know that oftentimes resting in God doesn’t come naturally. We often have to strive for rest in our day-to-day schedules. Honestly, sometimes the last thing we want to do is sit still and abide in the Lord.

God is so patient with us. His love is filled with tender mercy and grace. When we lay our business down at His feet, He meets us with grace that leads us to repentance. He does not put us to shame or condemn us for not wanting to spend time with Him. Instead, He gently guides us to lie down beside still waters. He knows exactly what we need when we need it.

In this blog, I will share 3 practical ways you can put away your busyness and enter into God’s rest through to heal through creativity.

Key Points

1. Lay Your Burdens Down Through Reflection
2. Meditate On the Word Of God Through Art
3. Abide In His Love Through Dance

Lay Your Burdens Down Through Reflection

When your mind feels overwhelming and your thoughts feel all-consuming, lay your burdens down through reflection. I have found writing out my burdens, prayers, songs, or revelations to be helpful in releasing what’s inside of me.

As you look back on your life and write your thoughts, it becomes a story that you are telling to God. What concerns you? How are your relationships? What is your perspective on the way your life is going?

As you finish writing, read through your story. Sit with the Lord and allow Him to wash you of any lies you are believing about your narrative. Then, allow God to speak to you about how He sees your story unfolding. What is God’s perspective on your life? How does He sees that circumstance?

Compare the two stories and ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind to see through a Kingdom perspective. You are not diminishing your pain but simply gaining fresh hope in the midst of trials. This practice will help you to unleash what is weighing you down while also giving space for the Holy Spirit to speak into your circumstance.

🗒️Journaling Prompts

1. What burdens am I carrying today that I need to let go of?
2. What lies am I believing about my past, present, or future?
3. How can I trust God with this part of my heart today?
   
   

Meditate On the Word Of God Through Art

Art is a powerful tool to help you heal from any difficult moment you face. I have spent the last 9 years actively using art to processing difficult emotions.

Meditate on the scriptures as you create. Use the Psalms to identify what you are feeling. David is the perfect example of sharing the depths of his heart with God. In the midst of his most difficult seasons of life, David always came to God with authenticity, honesty, and vulnerability. In the same way, use these scriptures as a tool of healing in partnership with art.

As you read through the Word, ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and help you to be still. Use art to release anger, bitterness, sadness, or grief. Painting and mixed media are two forms of art that have had the greatest effect on my grieving process. Don’t be afraid to use tools you normally wouldn’t use. Get outside of your comfort zone. Be messy!

🎨Creative Prompt

Read Psalm 139 a few times. Write down what God is speaking to you. Create an artwork processing your emotions and reflecting on Psalm 139.

Abide In His Love Through Dance

Sometimes words are not enough and sitting down to create feels restless. Movement not only brings healing to your body but helps you to connect with God. Abiding in the secret place doesn’t always look like laying down and doing nothing or sitting for hours. It can look like expression through dance.

Dance has helped me commune with God in new ways. It helps me to say with my body what I feel. It has its own language that can communicate depths of our hearts. It releases tension in the body and endorphins as you move. It’s a great way to stay healthy and rest in the love of God.

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🪩Dance Activation

Take a few minutes to stretch and allow your body to release tension. Play a worship song you are familiar with. Allow your body to move freely without direction. Don’t question moves or hinder your body from releasing what’s in your soul. Allow the Spirit of God to guide your movement.

Conclusion

Creativity comes in many ways that help us to heal and connect with our Creator. When we create, we tap into Elohim, the Creator God who can show us the wonders of His great love in visual ways that reveal the mysteries of God.

Rest can be active without feeling draining. In this season of rest, enjoy Jesus. Whether it’s hiking, dancing, writing, or playing an instrument, use your time in the secret place to explore, discover, meditate, and unwind in the presence of the Prince of Peace.

If you feel like what you need is to lay down and do nothing in His presence, that’s okay too. Follow the Spirit as He leads you to rest.

If you would like to explore rest in the Lord, Created To Be Loved offers 1-1 coaching and weekly creative inner-healing workshops for 9 months throughout the year in February-October. You can find more information on how to get started by checking out our Heart Workshops. Follow our journey on Instagram to connect.