Christian creatives: using your gifts without hiding them

Many Christian creatives know this feeling. You write, sing, film, design or paint, and you sense that God gave you that ability. Then you hesitate to share it. Fear tells you it isn’t good enough. Or it tells you that sharing would be showing off.

The Bible speaks to both of those fears.

God cares about creative work

In Exodus 31, God calls a craftsman by name.

“See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.” (Exodus 31:2, NKJV)

God goes on: “And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship” (Exodus 31:3, NKJV). Those skills were given “to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood” (Exodus 31:4-5, NKJV). They were used to make the tabernacle of meeting and all its furniture (Exodus 31:7).

God also says, “I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans” (Exodus 31:6, NKJV). Creative skill is something God gives, and he gives it for his purposes.

Gifts are for serving

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10, NKJV)

A steward looks after something that belongs to someone else. Your gift is on loan from God. That protects you from two traps. One is thinking your gift is all about you. The other is thinking it is too small to matter.

Jesus told a parable about servants who were each given money to look after. One of them buried his. He explained, “And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground” (Matthew 25:25, NKJV). His master was not pleased (Matthew 25:26). The servant’s fear led him to hide what he had been given.

Don’t hide your light

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14, NKJV)

Jesus went on: “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket” (Matthew 5:15, NKJV). Then he said:

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16, NKJV)

Notice where the glory goes. The light is meant to point people to the Father. That answers the worry about showing off. Sharing your work so that people see God is very different from sharing it to be admired. Your motives matter, so check them in prayer. Then share.

Fear and obedience

In one Instagram post, Thandie wrote: “I don’t want fear to decide how much of my obedience gets seen.”

That line names something many creatives feel. Fear can let you keep creating in private while stopping you from sharing anything at all. Paul wrote that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV).

The very first Tea Time With Thandie video on YouTube, from February 2023, was about putting fear to the side and doing what God has called you to do. You can watch it on the watch page.

Practical ways to stop hiding

• Finish something. Unfinished work is easy to hide. Pick one piece and complete it.
• Share with one safe person. Ask them for honest feedback.
• Take one small public step. Post one piece, read at one open mic or upload one video.
• Set a rhythm. A regular habit makes sharing feel normal. Thandie completed a 30-day spoken word series on TikTok, and our guide to a 30-day poem-a-day challenge explains how to try one.
• Pray before you post. Offer the work to God and let go of the result.
• Find other Christian creatives. Thandie uses the hashtag #christiancreatives on Instagram, and hashtags like that can help you find people making similar work.

When comparison creeps in

Social media makes it easy to measure your work against someone else’s. That can push you straight back into hiding. If your sense of worth rises and falls with likes, read how to stop comparing yourself and what does identity in Christ mean?

Labels and boxes

Some creatives hold back because their work doesn’t fit one category. Thandie’s YouTube channel description says the space “refuses creative labels”. It names documentaries and spoken word cinema among the forms that will live there. Your gifts may not fit a neat job title either. That is fine. Use what God has given you, in whatever form it takes.

If you want somewhere to start, our guides on how to write a spoken word poem about your faith and how to start a Christian podcast are practical first steps.

Your gift has a purpose

Your creativity is part of how God made you. Using it well, and letting it be seen, can serve other people and honour him. If you are wondering where your gifts fit into God’s plans, read how do I know what God is calling me to do?

For more on creativity and calling, listen to Tea Time With Thandie.