"There is no resurrection without a death"
To become new one must parish the old.
I've also spoken and written numerous times about the connection between suffering, death, and creativity. Where one is present the other is lurking somewhere in the shadows.
Just as a seed is planted and has to die in order to blossom as a flower so must a person be planted (in time, space and/or purpose) and has to die in order to bloom bright, warm and beautiful. The power of resurrection is seen only after the trials of dying - to self, to sin, to preconceived notions...oh, and so much the more...
But in the midst of the struggle I can find myself with creative bursts - usually trying to work through the pain I am feeling. I often feel the most productive during these times and while I don't long for trials to come my way I do see the value in the pain. I do cherish the work and creativity that is birthed during that time.
And as I pondered it all I began to wonder if the creative work that I do serves as a glimpse into the future into a life that has been resurrected. In some way I suppose the creative work I do could be seen as prophetic - calling out to the life I can see dimly with eyes but clearly by faith.
When I work on some graphic or edit some video I can see the very process of my soul. I can see the hope and the hopelessness of each piece that I create. I can see the present and the future. I can see the pain now and the healing that is coming. I can see the death and the resurrection.
Perhaps its easy for me to see because I work with pictures and tell stories with my words. But I don't creativity burst forth only in the pain of artists. Thomas Edison felt the death of many light bulbs before he got the formula right. Before the iPhone, Steve Jobs had to experience the flop of the Newton MessagePad.
So when you go through struggles keep a look out for what is being created out of that pain. Search for it. It might just be a glimpse at the resurrection that is coming.
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