One of the questions I get from artists all the time is, “Matt, how do I get over the fear of what other people think about my life and my art as a Kingdom creative?” This is a big problem. In fact, it’s the foundation of just about every problem that creatives face.
In this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, and in this week’s Blog, I’ll hit this problem head-on. I’ll also give you some real practical steps you can begin to take to move through this and find freedom from these debilitating fears.
In this episode, I mentioned two great resources that may help you as you begin to renew your mind. The first is my book, Created to Thrive, and it’s available in Print, Digital, and Audio versions directly from Amazon, right here: https://www.amazon.com/Created-Thrive-Artists-Living-Abundance/dp/1536904279
Connect with Matt online at www.MattTommeyMentoring.com or on Instagram and Facebook @thethrivingchristianartist
Get encouraged and connect with other artists on the Thriving Christian Artist Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/thethrivingchristianartist/
Please Note: The mini-course mentioned in this episode is no longer available for purchase. You can find all of our current resources at: https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/resources.html
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One of the questions that I get from artists just about every day is, “Matt; I love Jesus! I know He is calling me to be a creative, but I am so scared! I am so nervous about what other people will think of me, what they will say about me, and how they will judge me. I constantly fear that others will find out that I’m simply not enough. How do I get over this?”
Well, this whole area of fear of what others think is significant in the creative community. In fact, I believe that it’s really the foundation of every problem that artists go through. So, I think it’s time we hit this issue head-on with some practical solutions that will help you bust through the prison of what other people think about you, your art, and your creative lifestyle.
Did I Miss Something?
For many years I struggled with this whole concept of identity. In fact, my first book, “Unlocking The Heart of The Artist,” was really all about my struggle with identity and really coming to understand that you can be both saved and renewed. Let me explain.
I knew from a young age that my spirit had been renewed when I asked Jesus to come into my heart. But nobody had ever taught me that just because my spirit was instantly renewed that my soul, that is my heart, mind, will, emotions, needed to be renewed and aligned with the Kingdom of God.
Most Christians, in general, do not have this understanding that you were saved instantly, but you can be operating out of an old, wounded mentality, an old paradigm. You can be saved on one side and see all the promises of God that are in God’s Word while still living out of an unrenewed mind. If you live out of this wounded paradigm, you will live a life in many respects more frustrating than the one you left before you were saved.
Why? Because even though you’ve got this great hope and vision for the eternal life Jesus provided for you while at the same time, you find yourself struggling daily within your emotions, thoughts, and actions. If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not weird. This is a normal part of every believer’s walk. In fact, I was like that for most of my life until I began to understand how transformation is designed to happen in the Kingdom.
Kingdom Transformation
Well, how does that happen? Well, Romans 12:2 tells us that we are not to conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed, that is to be fundamentally changed, by the renewing of your mind. Many of us probably memorized this verse in Sunday School, and countless gold stars have been awarded for these efforts. But did anyone ever teach you how to apply it to your life practically?
Salvation happens the moment you ask Jesus into your heart. Your spirit man is instantly transformed, changed, and made righteous instantly. But even in that glorious moment, we still have a world of issues lingering inside our minds, wills, and emotions. Our spirit is saved, but that is just one part of the three, body, soul, and spirit that makes us who we are.
Our soul, that mind will and emotions part of us, still has to be renewed even after salvation. The Bible teaches us that this is a daily, moment-by-moment process that is meant to be led by the Holy Spirit according to the Word of God. It’s an intentional daily process, this renewing of your mind, and it’s as simple as starting with focusing on the truth of:
- Who God says you are?
- What God says you have?
- What God says about you?
Taking time daily to focus on God’s Truth versus all of the fear, anxiety, frustration, confusion that you’ve carried for so long will transform you from the inside out.
Consistency Brings the Change
And as you do this thing the Bible talks about, and you begin taking every thought captive under the Lordship of Jesus, your life WILL change. It’s not an overnight change, but as you are faithful daily to focus on and believe in God’s Truth versus what you have believed, a great exchange begins to take place in your spirit man.
It begins with declaring in faith, “Hey! I don’t want to believe this old lie about myself anymore. I choose to receive the truth of God’s Word about this for my life!” And as you do that over and over and over again as an act of your will, verbally, mentally, and spiritually replacing that old lie with God’s Truth, change just happens. The old lies fade, and God’s Truth in that area becomes your go-to daily mindset. Why is this important? Because it’s your beliefs that ultimately determine your actions and your destiny.
I hope this helps as you take that step of creating or refining your website. If this article has helped, take a moment to share it with a friend, share it on social media, and comment below!
Thanks for reading.
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