Creativity and InnovationSample

Positive Pauses

Artists paint and then stand back and watch the effect, colours, contrast, sketch – taking some time to review before proceeding, as it helps them to a gain a larger perspective and keeps them from getting caught up in minute details. God, at times, takes us through phases that seem like huge gaps – times when our hands are itching for something to happen! He drives us to points where not even a leaf seems to be moving – the pauses that cause us to stand still.

But, He intentionally builds these gaps to make us realise that we need to move the results out of our hands, and trust them to Himself..

There are days when I feel like giving up, and even my mind feeds me ‘nothing is ever going to change’. Past hurts and scars surface with renewed purpose to pull me down. That is when I have to intentionally stop and replenish my thoughts with God’s purpose for my life.

These 'purposeful stops' might look and feel like wasted time. But it is these pauses that can bring about a tremendous change in our attitude, our perspective and thought process. Without them, we might be repeatedly walking into a wall without realising the alternative path available to us.

Creativity needs time. We need to stand still, take stock, assess our situation or position, and forge ahead.

Some things in life are instantaneous; many are not. Ideas take time to germinate. Psychologists assert that silence is good for our brain. Ideally, ideas are cultured in a silent, positive, less stressed, more focused ground.

Creativity requires space – space to brood over, to work. God never requires, but the mortal human mind is proven to function efficiently with breaks.

Breaks enhance productivity. Work in 60-90 minute blocks. As we work, our alertness recedes. Taking a 10-minute break will restore our alertness to focus on the task at hand, ignoring distractions.

David wrote Ps 46 during a time of war, mentioning how kingdoms raged all around him, yet God called him to be still. No matter how chaotic the world may become around us, we can find quietness and strength in our heavenly Father’s love and power.

Heavenly Father, we surrender our noisy lives and disorderly minds to You, so that we can learn to be still and know that You are God.