Paintings and Conviction

So last night I had the opening for my second gallery show this year! Praise the Lord, he is good. I will post some pictures from that as soon as I can get my computer to behave. It's so amazing to be able to show my artwork. And also completely a work of God that it happened. He has given me a vision to show my artwork in galleries. Also, to draw people to the Lord and to questioning their hearts about God's love through my artwork. 

I don't know how much you know about the art world, but this calling is not an easy one. In the world of art all things are embraced, even the most bizarre, except for Christianity in any shape or form. Muslim views are fine, as are Catholic, and devil worshippers. But not us crazy Christ followers, we just might bring down the entire world down with that stuff.  (did you catch the sarcasm in that last statement?)  Because of all this, getting people to question their hearts to see if the love of Christ could be possible in their own hearts, is very difficult to do and still be taken seriously as an artist. 

The Lord has very clearly laid out for me how to do this. Very Clearly! But in all honestly I am afraid to do it. Afraid that to do it would mean the undoing of all my hard work to get where I am. But in truth that is all blasphemy. I have done nothing to get where I am. In all honestly, I hesitate to start every painting I do, because I am afraid it's going to be terrible, because I still don't really know how all my other ones have turned out so good. My talent is all God's, I can truly take no credit for it. My fear only shows my lack of faith in my Lord. 

Last night at church, Matt Chandler was talking about the body using their spiritual gifts to build up the body. He was naming off lots of people in my church that are doing just that in a beautiful way, some of whom I know. He even named off a girl that is an artist at UNT that is using her art to further the Kingdom. This stirred in my a discontentment at my own failure to engage others with my gifts, despite the fact that I know very clearly how to go about it.  I feel very strongly that this is God's mercy upon me. He desires that I live life to the fullest (john 10:10) and in that place I will be most satisfied. It is for my good that he has made me discontent. In order to move me to honor him with the gifts he has given me.