Designed for Passion not Fear
I can't tell you how many designers I've spoken to over the last year who have expressed to me a deep discontent with their work. Not that it wasn't good enough or that it didn't win awards, but because they felt empty and passionless doing it. I saw this expressed in several ways:
· I called a fellow graphic designer the other day, and he told me that he just didn't think he could possibly design another corporate newsletter for a client.
· I walked into a well respected, up and coming ad agency and found very bright and creative designers dragging themselves through the motions with another less than inspiring project.
· I myself have recently tried to establish some client accounts that I new I'd be miserable doing.
What do all these things have in common? Fear. Most of the things we do, our bosses do and our coworkers do are driven by fear. Primarily fear that we _______. You can fill in the blank…fear that won't be able to pay the bills; will get fired if we say no; won't be able to maintain our lifestyle; will close the door on other opportunities, etc.
So what do we do? We toil the ground as Adam was cursed to do after the Fall. We take on clients and projects we don't have any interest in or flat out dislike. We compromise our creative convictions for fear of losing a client. We rush ourselves to produce for fear of missing a deadline and produce unsatisfactory work. We take jobs at big agencies when we want to start our own studio. Think about how many times today you did something where fear was an underlying motive.
Fear is the Enemy's number one weapon for getting us to do what we don't want to do when our hearts are calling us to do otherwise.
There is good news though for folks like us. Jesus is broke the curse of toiling the ground (or computer) so we no longer need to design from fear. He is calling us to risk it all to create and design with passion for His Kingdom. Remember the story of Jesus and the fishermen. These professionals had been out all day working hard. They were toiling the water, so to speak. They caught nothing. They were empty. Then Jesus tells them to go into deep water and try it again. You know the rest of the story. They caught so many fish their boats almost sunk, and they even called for help. They were stunned.
Check out Jesus words to one of the fisherman, "There is nothing to fear. From now on you'll be fishing for men and women." In one act Jesus ignited their true call (still related to their profession but on a new level) and showed them that there would be more than enough to supply their needs. Their response: pulled their boats up, left all their professional equipment behind and followed Him.
I know this is what God is calling me to do. Could it be we only need to listen for the call in design work and follow Him. Can't He handle the bills? Does the world really need one more cool product to sell or snappy ad produced? What's one more logo going to identify? Is there something deeper He is calling you to design? What's the passion He's designed in your heart? Are you willing to leave it all behind?
· I called a fellow graphic designer the other day, and he told me that he just didn't think he could possibly design another corporate newsletter for a client.
· I walked into a well respected, up and coming ad agency and found very bright and creative designers dragging themselves through the motions with another less than inspiring project.
· I myself have recently tried to establish some client accounts that I new I'd be miserable doing.
What do all these things have in common? Fear. Most of the things we do, our bosses do and our coworkers do are driven by fear. Primarily fear that we _______. You can fill in the blank…fear that won't be able to pay the bills; will get fired if we say no; won't be able to maintain our lifestyle; will close the door on other opportunities, etc.
So what do we do? We toil the ground as Adam was cursed to do after the Fall. We take on clients and projects we don't have any interest in or flat out dislike. We compromise our creative convictions for fear of losing a client. We rush ourselves to produce for fear of missing a deadline and produce unsatisfactory work. We take jobs at big agencies when we want to start our own studio. Think about how many times today you did something where fear was an underlying motive.
Fear is the Enemy's number one weapon for getting us to do what we don't want to do when our hearts are calling us to do otherwise.
There is good news though for folks like us. Jesus is broke the curse of toiling the ground (or computer) so we no longer need to design from fear. He is calling us to risk it all to create and design with passion for His Kingdom. Remember the story of Jesus and the fishermen. These professionals had been out all day working hard. They were toiling the water, so to speak. They caught nothing. They were empty. Then Jesus tells them to go into deep water and try it again. You know the rest of the story. They caught so many fish their boats almost sunk, and they even called for help. They were stunned.
Check out Jesus words to one of the fisherman, "There is nothing to fear. From now on you'll be fishing for men and women." In one act Jesus ignited their true call (still related to their profession but on a new level) and showed them that there would be more than enough to supply their needs. Their response: pulled their boats up, left all their professional equipment behind and followed Him.
I know this is what God is calling me to do. Could it be we only need to listen for the call in design work and follow Him. Can't He handle the bills? Does the world really need one more cool product to sell or snappy ad produced? What's one more logo going to identify? Is there something deeper He is calling you to design? What's the passion He's designed in your heart? Are you willing to leave it all behind?
posted by fivemcclungs at 11:43 PM
5 Comments:
Thanks for the observations. And for this site. Finding this article was more timely than you could know. As a clothing designer, and designer of much other "stuff" as well, what you wrote is altogether too much the story of my life. Especially as a born-and=bred evangelical Christian.... With that somewhat behind me now, there's a greater freedom and ability to really trust God, and actually follow the gifting and go with the passion (a dirty word, isn't it?) He put inside me long ago. Thanks for the reminder that it all WILL somehow work out. The key is to FOLLOW with gusto the One who knows the way.
This message couldn't be more timely! Maybe it's just the head cold or my recently completed tax return spinning around in my head but I've got a severe case of the design blues. A kind of futility has crept into my work...the sort of grey funk normaly associated with mid-career cubicle dwellers.
I'm heartened by the concepts outlined in this blog and would love to hear from fellow designers of faith who are putting it into practice in their work.
I believe you missed one thing. We glorify God by designing.
A long time ago, I asked a pastor friend of mine, "I think I am being called to be creative. I have been doing art all my life. What do I do?"
In a VERY zen like moment he looked at me and asked, "How does the squirrel glorify God?" I stood there dumbfounded. He then said, "By being a squirrel."
I would go so far as to say that unless you are following the convictions that you have form the Holy Spirit, you are sinning. What better way for the enemy to distract you from serving God than by getting you to fear being what God has MADE you for.
A good point David. The role of the Holy Spirit in leading you from fear to what you are created to do for God's glory is essential.
Yep! Be careful here. God said "Take dominion of the earth" long before He said go and make desciples. These mandates cannot/should not be separated, and belong together lest we fall into gnosticism. If Christ is the Lord of the heart then He is also Lord of the culture, and designers are to be glorifying Him in their work with excellence. It is as glorifying to God to design as it is to preach, and in some ways the first, when done right, is a more lasting signpost to God in this strange land of lost souls. To each His calling, and be not weary in your labors. Take comfort in the fact that He made it all and calls us to labor in turn in bringing the Kingdom into the world - both physical and spiritual!
Daniel Lee, Architect
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