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Elders, Shepherd the flock

 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: ² shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,^[a] not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;^[b] not for shameful gain, but eagerly; ³ not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. ⁵ Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Pet 5:1-5

Quiet and Humble Spirit

 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, ² when they see your respectful and pure conduct. ³ Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— ⁴ but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. ⁵ For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, ⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

1 Pet 3:1-6

“And I was afraid, and I went and buried your talent in the ground.” (Matt 25:25) IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER

There are some natural and supernatural forces at work in our lives, keeping us from fully becoming the creative people we were born to be.  I believe calling them out affords a sort of power over the temptation to procrastinate and put off doing what would make us most fully ourselves.

The first force is resistance.  

That is, the inertia around our best, most sacred work. Anything but that our minds and bodies moan.  We experience this resistance because what is most worth doing requires something from us.  It costs us—often dearly.  It means digging deep, drawing forth, going places within ourselves.  It means ignoring all the distractions that glitter around us for the sake of what is not shiny but far more lasting. That means there’s a transaction happening—the spending of energy that we have a limited allotment of every day.  It’s a precious commodity.  It’s something to be stewarded.  And when it is gone—it really is gone. We can’t do excellent work with the dregs of our energy.

“Everyone has his own unique mission, which he discovers when he becomes aware of his talent. The accomplishment of this mission requires all of our vital energies,” writes Alexandre Havard in Created for Greatness: The Power of Magnanimity.

And then, too, creating is risky.  It is vulnerable, because we, by necessity, leave something of ourselves in the work.  Something that could be ignored, scored, or laughed at.  Resistance is often the function of a protective part of ourselves, doing its job, trying to keep us unremarkable. Safe. Blending in means being without the risk of rejection.  And there is an overpowering guardian within us that wants it that way.  “And I was afraid, and I went and buried your talent in the ground.” (Matt 25:25)

God has bigger plans for us, and He knows well the parts at play deep inside.  It is part of His purpose for our healing and spiritual maturity, our growth in wholeness as we grow in prayer, to allow for the creative, expansive side of us to bloom.  The closer we come to God, the more we become like Him, the more we will flourish and show forth His glory.

Copied from https://spiritualdirection.com/2022/10/15/on-creative-work-resistance-and-retaliation

THIS SHOWS US THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

 1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, ² and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men,^[a] who will be able to teach others also. ³ Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. ⁵ An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. ⁷ Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.  2Tim 2:1-7

You will also decide and decree a thing, and it will be established for you

 “Now yield and submit yourself to Him [agree with God and be conformed to His will] and be at peace;
In this way [you will prosper and great] good will come to you.
²² 
“Please receive the law and instruction from His mouth
And establish His words in your heart and keep them.
²³ 
“If you return to the Almighty [and submit and humble yourself before Him], you will be built up [and restored];
If you remove unrighteousness far from your tents,
²⁴ 
And place your gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks [considering it of little value],
²⁵ 
And make the Almighty your gold
And your precious silver,
²⁶ 
Then you will have delight in the Almighty,
And you will lift up your face to God.
²⁷ 
“You will pray to Him, and He will hear you,
And you will pay your vows.
²⁸ 
“You will also decide and decree a thing, and it will be established for you;
And the light [of God’s favor] will shine upon your ways.

^{Job 22:21-28}