Tonight I was spending some time with one of our daughters and teaching her how to paint pour. Paint pouring is a technique where you let the paint do what it wants to while you gently direct it to flow across the canvas. As I talked my daughter through what to do using this technique I realised she was hesitant and not feeling confident because she didn’t want to make a mistake or for it not to work out. At first she didn’t like how the colors were mixing together on the canvas and was disappointed. I told her to change how she was moving the paint by tilting the canvas a different way and all of a sudden the whole picture changed as the colours merged together and came to life.
With paint pouring, as with many things in life what you first see can rapidly change as you make a different move, trust yourself and just let what is meant to happen happen. Yet to do that you have to get over the fear of making a mess or mistake and just get your hands and heart completely involved.
As I paint and also contemplate life I’m discovering more and more what a liberating and wonderful gift to give ourselves is the freedom to make a so called mistake or mess.
All the well known explorers, artists and fore runners had to face the fear of failure, disappointment and the pain of perhaps making a mistake. But they chose to risk it because the regret of not trying to them was worse than the regret of making a mistake.
I believe God wants us to really know and experience freedom. He doesn’t want us limited by our fear of regret or failure and promises to give us wisdom and to guide and help us as we ask. If we do happen to make a mistake, He promises to be there to prevent us from totally falling.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you“. (James 1:5)
The LORD supports everyone who falls and raises up those who are bowed down. (Psalm 145:14)
Don’t let a fear of making a mess or mistake hold you back. Beautiful things happen when we trust both God and ourselves and choose to go for it.
Prayer: Lord thank you that you give me wisdom and the space to learn and grow. Please help me to live free from the fear of making a mistake or mess and give me courage to be all you have made me to be. I want to really live – with no regrets! In Jesus name. Amen
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