All artists experience the unbridgeable gap which lies between the work of their hands . . . and the dazzling perfection of the beauty glimpsed in the ardour of the creative moment: what they manage to express . . . is no more than a glimmer of the splendour which flared for a moment before the eyes of their spirit. – St. John Paul II, Letter to Artists
St. John Paul II was no stranger to artistic pursuits. As a young man, he was both an actor and playwright. He understood what it is to have a moment of inspiration in which you can see something amazing in your mind, something to dream about, something you simply feel compelled to bring to fruition.
Those sparks of inspiration are a gift from God, and we should be thankful for them. Sometimes, it can seem easier and more enjoyable to simply entertain the dream. In our mind, the painting, the story, the invention, the culinary delight, etc. is perfect, a thing of pure beauty that will be loved by all. In dreaming, we take no risk. There is no chance of disappointment. If, however, the idea stays only in our mind, we never have the opportunity to work to bring it to fruition, a process that has its own joys and rewards regardless of the outcome of the finished project.
Will the finished product ever live up to what we envisioned at the moment of inspiration? In my own experience, the answer is always no. No matter how much effort I put into a project, what originally existed in my mind is always more prefect. My flawed human efforts can never quite measure up. Even as I work on this book, I know it will not match my interior vision. In light of St. John Paul II’s statement, it would seem that I am in good company.
Does this ultimate disconnect mean we should abandon the effort? Is all the labor not worth it in the end if it will never measure up to the original dream? Absolutely not. What we create is our gift to God and to the world. Every effort helps contribute to the ongoing story of creation. We are called to do our best and leave the rest to God.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for the gift of inspiration. The creative dreams you give us are a delight and something for us to strive to achieve. Please help me to do my best work so that I may come as close as possible to the original vision.
Action
Have you ever had a moment of inspiration in which you could see a finished product in all its glory? Did you work to achieve that dream? If so, what was the result? If not, why not? Is there a creative inspiration currently existing only in your mind? If so, take one step today toward making that project a reality.
This is an excerpt from The Work of Our Hands. (Amazon affiliate link)
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