Acceptance is the key to healing the life weary. I bring to you the example of the passionate artist. The passionate artist gives all to their art in hopes of sharing their art with the world and thus making a living at their passion works. The passionate artist derives great joy and purpose from their art. They feel alive and inspired.
In the early adult years of the passionate artist, there is a need to work a job that supports the activity of pursuing the dream of art. In those early years the passionate artist does not expect to have to work at the dues paying support job for too long, willing to sacrifice for a small paycheck to support the art and then fostering the art to become their lives work.
But sometimes the years roll on in sacrifice and the passionate artist experiences an anxiety beyond measure because the soul yearns to break free from the have to do's in life. They have to work a job that is draining of the life source art that the passionate artist truly enjoys and thus they will suffer until the moment they can engage themselves in their art for eternity. Here on this earth, through prayer and diligence and splitting the life in two: the have to support onesself jobs and part-time employment related to the art that by no means can support a life, the passionate artist struggles onward. Determined. Focused. In faith.
There is a point where life becomes weary from this effort. Confusion and delusion sets in. The guitar stands lonesome in the corner. The canvas unpainted. Journals empty. The typewriter still. The script is unread. The passionate artist becomes weary of their efforts to fulfill their heart's desire to engage fully in their art, their dream work. The dream is long and arduous. Is that the sunsetting now on such a bright and hopeful star? They move through life like a ghost seeking the light.
No matter what the self help books explain...the passionate artist has journeyed through all the self-help: attitude adjustments and diet and activity and on and on ... the passionate artist does all the things such as network and pursue education to add dimension to their craft; and still the arduous task of rising and working at a meaningless job saps the life out of the artist. An indescribable weariness sets in from living a life so completely opposite than what the passionate artist had in mind, had in heart, had in dream....since a child.
The passionate artist then comes to a place where he or she is feeling helpless. Feeling broken. Feeling like they are prepared to give up their creative gifts. For their gifts are not a hobby to be toiled at once in a while. No their gift is something they must do, they must experience in order to feel the life pulse through them, their blood swim up stream to beat their heart where the indescribable love resides.
At this point, the passionate artist collapses in a heap of frustrated tears and confusion. They are weary, struggling still to make ends meet all the while a small flame of hope burning deeply within that just maybe someday will make an appearance and they will delight in their days engaged in their art for all the world to enjoy and ponder. They have sacrificed so much to achieve their yet unrealized dreams.
With water-filled eyes, the passionate artist has no where to turn any longer. The prayers haven't worked. Though still, they will lift their eyes to heaven and ask why? And the arms of a Saviour wrap around the broken child within who asks why. The Saviour in wordless action lifts the passionate artist into His arms and coaxes the passionate artist into a divine sleep to heal the life that has left the passionate artist terribly weary. The Saviour knows this pain well. The glory of love and art unappreciated in a cold, dark world.
Upon awakening the passionate artist feels completely still. Extremely light. The heaviness is gone. The furnace of hope is ablaze. The passionate artist is thoroughly encouraged to create the greatest piece of artwork ever. And the passionate artist sits to create and then pauses and speaks aloud that the Greatest artist of all move through the talent of the passionate artist who sits before their craft.
And from that moment on, the passionate artist accepted the unquestionable Greatness that desired to move through -- and the passionate artist created for none other than the greatest Creator of all which led to volumes of people awakening and following the art of the Passion.
You see, the extreme desire that the passionate artist had within was not for their own sake of enjoying their craft and talent for all the world to experience and thus make a living. The entire gift was being cultivated for the single purpose of the Great Creator to move through the little passionate artist. And the work of art that resulted was from the challenging journey of devotion that the passionate artist lived to achieve their dreams.
In the early adult years of the passionate artist, there is a need to work a job that supports the activity of pursuing the dream of art. In those early years the passionate artist does not expect to have to work at the dues paying support job for too long, willing to sacrifice for a small paycheck to support the art and then fostering the art to become their lives work.
But sometimes the years roll on in sacrifice and the passionate artist experiences an anxiety beyond measure because the soul yearns to break free from the have to do's in life. They have to work a job that is draining of the life source art that the passionate artist truly enjoys and thus they will suffer until the moment they can engage themselves in their art for eternity. Here on this earth, through prayer and diligence and splitting the life in two: the have to support onesself jobs and part-time employment related to the art that by no means can support a life, the passionate artist struggles onward. Determined. Focused. In faith.
There is a point where life becomes weary from this effort. Confusion and delusion sets in. The guitar stands lonesome in the corner. The canvas unpainted. Journals empty. The typewriter still. The script is unread. The passionate artist becomes weary of their efforts to fulfill their heart's desire to engage fully in their art, their dream work. The dream is long and arduous. Is that the sunsetting now on such a bright and hopeful star? They move through life like a ghost seeking the light.
No matter what the self help books explain...the passionate artist has journeyed through all the self-help: attitude adjustments and diet and activity and on and on ... the passionate artist does all the things such as network and pursue education to add dimension to their craft; and still the arduous task of rising and working at a meaningless job saps the life out of the artist. An indescribable weariness sets in from living a life so completely opposite than what the passionate artist had in mind, had in heart, had in dream....since a child.
The passionate artist then comes to a place where he or she is feeling helpless. Feeling broken. Feeling like they are prepared to give up their creative gifts. For their gifts are not a hobby to be toiled at once in a while. No their gift is something they must do, they must experience in order to feel the life pulse through them, their blood swim up stream to beat their heart where the indescribable love resides.
At this point, the passionate artist collapses in a heap of frustrated tears and confusion. They are weary, struggling still to make ends meet all the while a small flame of hope burning deeply within that just maybe someday will make an appearance and they will delight in their days engaged in their art for all the world to enjoy and ponder. They have sacrificed so much to achieve their yet unrealized dreams.
With water-filled eyes, the passionate artist has no where to turn any longer. The prayers haven't worked. Though still, they will lift their eyes to heaven and ask why? And the arms of a Saviour wrap around the broken child within who asks why. The Saviour in wordless action lifts the passionate artist into His arms and coaxes the passionate artist into a divine sleep to heal the life that has left the passionate artist terribly weary. The Saviour knows this pain well. The glory of love and art unappreciated in a cold, dark world.
Upon awakening the passionate artist feels completely still. Extremely light. The heaviness is gone. The furnace of hope is ablaze. The passionate artist is thoroughly encouraged to create the greatest piece of artwork ever. And the passionate artist sits to create and then pauses and speaks aloud that the Greatest artist of all move through the talent of the passionate artist who sits before their craft.
And from that moment on, the passionate artist accepted the unquestionable Greatness that desired to move through -- and the passionate artist created for none other than the greatest Creator of all which led to volumes of people awakening and following the art of the Passion.
You see, the extreme desire that the passionate artist had within was not for their own sake of enjoying their craft and talent for all the world to experience and thus make a living. The entire gift was being cultivated for the single purpose of the Great Creator to move through the little passionate artist. And the work of art that resulted was from the challenging journey of devotion that the passionate artist lived to achieve their dreams.
In the end, the passionate artist surrendered their desire in order that the desire of the Great Creator would take priority and thus heal the life weary.
"Genuine self-acceptance is not derived from the power of positive thinking, mind games, or pop psychology. It is an act of faith in the grace of God alone." - Brennan Manning
My friends, guard your souls and your craft. Hold your beloved art sky high and ask that your great talents serve for the Greater Creator. Be yourself, true. Accept that in that truth is your greatest artwork.
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