What factors can lead people into a state of creative anxiety?
It may come as a surprise to some people how much Christians value creativity, but to Christians, valuing creativity isn’t that surprising at all.
After all, followers of Christ believe that they’re made in God’s image. The Bible also tells us:
God created the Heavens and Earth — all you see, all you don’t see. (Genesis 1:1 MSG)
This passage alone tells us that God is Himself a creator, in fact, the Creator, and we must also be imbued with a sense of creativity if we are indeed created in His image. The creativity we’ve been given is indeed a wonderful gift. However, people who use it can also develop creative anxiety.
What is creative anxiety?
Creative anxiety typically occurs when a person’s passion for creativity turns into anxiety and depression. Not every creative person develops this anxiety for the same reason. In fact, there are many factors that can trigger creative anxiety.
Three factors that can trigger creative anxiety:
1. Comparing our creative efforts to those of others — The internet is awash with the creative efforts of others, and it’s easy to start comparing your own creative efforts to everything else that’s out there. Yet, doing so can easily lead to anxiety, and this feeling can lead to many other negative feelings.
Some people might find that they become jealous of other creators’ talents or works. Others may feel a sense of despair that their work will never be as good as X artist’s, and even worse, these negative feelings may cause some creators to abandon their creative endeavors entirely.
2. Not remaining true to ourselves — Each person who does something creative has a God-given creative gift. But it’s so easy to give in to pressure to express our creativity in a less than genuine way. We might feel like we have to respond to the latest social media trend, or we could be tempted to start creating simply to make some money or to gain more followers. Going down these side paths can lead to creative anxiety so easily because deep down we know we aren’t remaining true to our creative gift.
3. Relying on what we create as our sole source of identity — It’s not uncommon for artists to be identified in relation to their works. For instance, we see the painting Starry Night, and we think of Vincent Van Gogh. However, it’s just as easy for the artists themselves to start identifying themselves solely in relation to their creative work.
When we do this, we can find ourselves in a highly anxious state where our entire self-value hinges on the latest responses to our Twitter or Instagram posts. We may even feel like a failure when the responses to our work are negative. For Christians, this scenario is even more problematic. It’s a sign that we may be idolizing our own works and not giving credit and thanks to the One who is the ultimate source of our creativity: God.
Centerpoint Church is ready to walk with you on your faith journey
At Centerpoint, our community believes in purpose and passion, and we would love to walk with you on your journey in finding yours. We understand how it feels to struggle to find a place to belong, which is why we strive to welcome people of all types and backgrounds into our community.
Do you want to grow in your faith, or are you simply curious about who this Jesus guy is? You’re not alone. We encourage you to listen to our series online and welcome you to come to one of our Sunday morning services in Valrico, Florida.