Creativity lives inside of us, and sometimes, sparking an idea can take a few frustrations and a lot of coaxing. No matter how long you’ve been doing your craft, there will always be days when creativity comes in drops instead of the usual pour.
Whether you’re an experienced creative dealing with a ‘creative block’ or a newbie dipping your toes in a new craft, this prayer will help you rediscover your passions, values, and ideas and then extract the creative power within by talking to God and asking Him to inspire us with fresh ideas.
Creativity prayer
Father God,
I am proud to be an artwork of Your gentle hands, carefully molded into Your own likeness. I may be far from matching You in perfection, but it is a great honor that You lovingly created me detailed, complex, and unique, from every sparkle of my eyes to every feature of my face.
Forgive me for my many shortcomings, for the disappointments I have caused You. From the day I was conceived up to now, You have been nothing but a gracious God, Your unfailing guidance and protection reaching me even in times when I doubted You the most. I am repentant of my sins, and I wish to be a sinner saved by grace, grace that is greater than all of my sins. May I receive Your matchless grace that will cleanse and pardon my soul. Bestow Your merciful judgment upon me, O Lord.
Whenever I smell the earth’s fragrant flowers, I am reminded of how beautifully I have bloomed under your care despite the storms that have threatened to uproot my faith. Whenever I see a sparrow soaring high above, I am reminded of how delicate and vulnerable I am, but through You, I have soared to great heights. And just like how the river flows and nourishes the trees, the plants, and the animals of the forest, so does the Holy Spirit that dwells within me, feeding my soul and quenching my thirst for Your Word. Thank You, Great God, for every beautiful reminder of Your love.
With this prayer for creativity, I raise my arms to the sky for many new ideas to rain upon me, just like how my ancestors asked for rain to water the land. Fill my heart and soul with the inspiration to create and put value into whatever I make. May a surge of vibrant ideas and inspiring words flood my mind, overflow into my hands, and drip into the medium I will soon turn into a masterpiece. May I produce not only beautiful works but also works that evoke feeling from observers so that they too can feel how the Holy Spirit inspires me each day.
In Jesus’ Name I lovingly pray,
Amen
Short prayer for creativity
My God, I seek Your Heavenly inspiration through this prayer. May You not only inspire me with bright ideas but also fill me with motivation to breathe life into my visions and kickstart my creative pursuits. The power of my creativity and imagination is a great blessing, and I hope that I will be able to use my talents and creativity to glorify Your Name. I may be demotivated now, but soon I hope that I will once again be brimming with inventiveness and resourcefulness, shining as I put my skills to good use.
Amen.
The Word of God
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2 NRSVUE
We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith;
Romans 12:6 NRSVUE
Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.
1 Timothy 4:14 NRSVUE
Intercessory prayer to Saint Hildegard of Bingen
Saint Hildegard, I admire your achievements as a writer, composer, philosopher, mystic, visionary, and medical practitioner. Your prophecies and visions, which you wrote down upon paper, continue to be admired by many. Ever since you were a young girl, God opened your eyes to prophetic and apocalyptic visions that God allowed you to share creatively with the rest of the world through ink and paper.
Join me in this prayer to ask God for inspiration and ideas. May He put visions of creativity in my mind and fill me with creative ideas that I can craft into reality. Whenever the days become slow and my creative wells run dry, I hope that His gentle tap on my shoulder will remind me to take care of myself, too, just as He lovingly takes care of me.
I pray for self-rediscovery and a comforting but impermanent break from work. I pray for inspiration, creativity, craftsmanship, and self-love.
Saint Hildegard, pray for me.
Further reflection
There are many ways to spark our creativity. First, we could try getting out of our regular environment and exploring a new one: go out on a nature hike, a road trip, a trip to another city, a few hours at a thematic coffee shop, or somewhere we’ve never been to before. However, remember to always be wary of our environment and put our safety above all.
Next, we could try picking up a new hobby or learning a new skill. There are plenty of free resources online that we can use as a beginner. We can start learning from online courses, blog posts, Youtube videos, and more. We can even join an online group and ask others for insights, ideas, and suggestions.
Another brilliant way to spark our creativity is by connecting with other people and listening to their stories. We are the protagonists of our own individual lives, but that doesn’t mean that everyone else is just a background character without any real traits or characteristics, like in movies, books, and video games. In reality, every single person around us is like a book: they live their own adventures, and their stories are worth learning from. Take the time to schedule an interview with someone we barely know, or even just talk to a random stranger about a topic both are interested in. We can also join clubs and organizations, where we can meet people from diverse backgrounds but who have similar interests as us.
Sometimes, a creative block can mean that we simply need rest and self-care. Take a break, and remember not to burn out. We are creative souls, and that’s something we should be proud of. There’s no need to beat ourselves up when some days are harder than usual. Rain can take weeks to arrive, and when it does, it comes in a heavy, refreshing pour. So we rest, wait, and then try again once we’re ready.
Finally, one of the most insightful ways to awaken our creativity is to sit down and reflect on ourselves and our past experiences. Think about how God makes His presence known in our lives and how grateful we are for the wonderful blessings He has given to us. Remember, we can always offer this prayer whenever we’re running low on inspiration and creative ideas.
