It's generally accepted that the two halves of our brain operate differently. The left side of the brain is attributed to logic, language and the analytical stuff. The right side is more about our emotion and creativity. I've seen plenty of quizzes and headline thoughts over the years about “are you left or right brained”, e.g. are you predominantly analytical or creative?
We love to put ourselves in boxes don't we?
Think back to being at school or somewhere the person up front says “okay, now we're going to do a creative activity…”
Is your reaction one of despair and cringe?
Or perhaps excitement and joy?
Maybe your answer to that gives you an indication of which “box” you naturally fall into.
“Creative” can be a triggering word for some people. I suspect “analytical” can be triggering for others. I wonder if the word “worship” feels almost as triggering. Any of these feel familiar?
“I'm not musical, what can I bring?”
“I'm not creative, what do I do”?
“I wish worship came as naturally to me as it does to [insert name here]”
“If corporate worship isn't singing meaningful lyrics, what is it?”
“How am I going to hear from God if all we do is sing and draw - where's the teaching?”
“I never hear from God, what's the point?”
“My circumstances are too dire to praise God today”
“Ugh, music, singing, creativity, encountering God, sitting with my thoughts… this is all getting a bit real.”
We've had some great talks and reminders about what worship is, and what it's not so I won't focus on that too much. But I loved what SJ brought a while back with her two pie charts; one showing a portion of the day carved out for God, the other showing God carved out in all activities throughout
the day.
It highlights a journey I've been on. What is worship? It's what we place value in. Isn't that basically love? And what did Jesus say about love?
“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”
Heart. Soul. Mind.
Everything.
And it's the most important thing.
It's about our whole being and how we connect with our Lord.
God didn't create 2 brains; he created one organ*. God is the ultimate model of holistic; The Trinity. Let's not limit His power by putting Him or ourselves in boxes.
So in our gatherings as you look around the room at the 5th-sketchbook-in-as-many-weeks overflowing with beautiful drawings, or the crochet placemat that's going to be a carpet before too long, or the sewing that's so intricate it could feature in a royal wedding dress… stop.
Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop putting any pressure on yourself that your connection to God even has to be anything creative.
Start (or continue) asking God for joy, wisdom and discernment into what it is that brings you closer to Him. And do that thing that helps your brain connect with your heart and your love of Jesus.
It actually doesn't matter what it is, if it's using your left or right brain, God created it all for His glory. For the expansion of His Kingdom.
I love a colouring book. I equally love a sudoku or logic puzzle. Your thing might be sitting still, quiet prayer or detailed Bible study. Who knows, it could even be solving a complex scientific equation that is going to put an end to climate change or life-limiting diseases.
(And wouldn't that be great for the Kingdom? No pressure!)
Embrace it all.
Big love
Hannah x
Prayer for Freedom Church Family
Thank you God that You've created us all so intricately and uniquely, with unique gifts and traits.
Help us not to feel intimidated by space in Your presence. Holy Spirit, come minister to us as we worship corporately in our gatherings, and privately in our daily lives. Grant us wisdom and
discernment to recognise Your calling on our lives, and the courage and resources to follow that through for Your glory and the expansion of Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name I ask these things for everyone at linked with Freedom church, particularly the person reading this right now. Amen.
*Side note… in my first draft I put a sweeping statement about how, as far as I was aware, nobody had ever survived with half a brain. Then I did some quick research (thank you Google) and found this to be somewhat false. I could probably write a whole other article about how this led me to another place of awe at just how amazing God is in His creation, but I've gone on long enough, so feel free to research for yourself or come ask me what I discovered.
Matthew 22:34-40 MSG
When the Pharisees heard how he had bested the Sadducees, they gathered their forces for an assault. One of their religion scholars spoke for them, posing a question they hoped would show him up: “Teacher, which command in God’s Law is the most important?”
Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs
from them.”
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