God Never Meant Your Art to Come Last

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Your art keeps getting pushed to the end of the day, and somehow the end of the day never comes. If you’ve ever told yourself you’ll create after the dishes, after the laundry, after you finally catch up, this conversation is the wake-up call you’ve been needing. I’m Matt Tommy, and I’m digging into the quiet belief many Christian artists carry: that creativity is optional, extra, or something we have to earn. 

We unpack how that mindset turns studio time into a source of guilt and why “being responsible” can slowly become a cover for abandoning the part of you God designed to bring life, beauty, and healing into the world. I share my own story of creating only when I had leftover energy, what it cost me spiritually and emotionally, and why so many artists aren’t battling laziness at all. They’re battling permission. We also look at the Cinderella trap, the vulnerability of making art, and the Mary and Martha story as a picture of presence versus nonstop doing. 

Then we get practical. You’ll hear clear, doable steps for prioritizing your creative calling without feeling irresponsible: stop waiting for perfect conditions, create before your energy is gone, start smaller than you think, and treat creativity like a relationship with God rather than a reward for finishing your to-do list. If you’re ready to stop living on creative leftovers and start creating with freedom and peace, hit play, subscribe, and share this with a friend who needs permission to make space for their gift. If it helps you, leave a review and tell me: what’s one small creative habit you’re starting this week?

Transcript

Why Your Art Comes Last

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Have you ever felt like your art just always comes last? Like you finally create after all the dishes are done, after laundry's folded, after everybody else is taken care of? Listen, a lot of Christian artists have unknowingly been taught to treat their creativity like a reward instead of a vital part of who God actually created him to be. And so today I'm going to show you why God never meant for your art and creativity to come last and how to start making creativity a real priority in your life without feeling guilty or irresponsible. And hey, be sure to stay with me till the very end because I want to show you that powerful shift that helps artists stop living off creative leftovers and start creating with freedom and peace and purpose again. Well, hey, my friend, I'm Matt Tommy. And as a professional artist for over 30 years now and mentor to thousands of Christian artists around the world, I have absolutely seen how devastating it can be when artists continually put their creativity last in their life. Not because they don't care about it, but because somewhere along the way they started believing their creativity had to be earned instead of embraced as a part of their God-given design. And listen, that's why I'm here every week here on the channel, helping Christian creators walk in clarity, confidence, and creative freedom in Christ so that we can all create with God and reveal his glory in the world. So make sure you like this video, subscribe to the channel, and always leave me a comment because I love to hear what God's up to in your life as well. All right. Now listen, you know, one of the things I hear from artists over and over in our community and on the channel is things like, Matt, you know, I love my art, but I just can't seem to get to it. And usually when we dig a little deeper, it's not because they don't want to create, it's because they've subconsciously built their entire life around this idea that creativity only gets whatever time or energy is left over after everything else is done. But but here's the problem with that. Everything else is never done, right? There's always something else. There's always another errand or responsibility, another bill to pay, another, you know, another load of laundry, another, for me, honeydew project, right? Another person needing something from you. And before long, years go by, right? Not days, not just months, but years. And artists start feeling disconnected from themselves when that happens, disconnected from joy, disconnected from God, disconnected from the very thing that God designed them to really feel alive. And what's heartbreaking in this is that many artists think that this is maturity. They think this is being responsible. They think that this is what you know, what good Christians do. But listen, I wanted you to consider something today. What if constantly putting off your creativity, putting it off to the last was never God's design for your life? Now, in just a few minutes, I'm going to show you some really practical shifts that have helped me and a lot of my students to start making creativity a real priority again with without feeling irresponsible or overwhelmed. But first, I I really want you to hear me clearly on this. I'm not saying that our responsibilities, our adulting stuff, you know, doesn't matter. Of course they matter, right? I mean, we we've all got responsibilities. We all serve people and have seasons of our life that require more from us. I totally get that. But there's a huge difference between being responsible and, you know, responsibly managing your life and completely abandoning the part of you that God created to bring you life and healing and beauty and joy and creativity to the world. And honestly, I think a lot of us artists grew up with a mindset that we never questioned that said, you know, work before play, don't be lazy. You need to do something practical. Art is nice, but uh, you know, whatever, fill in the blank. And for a lot of people, and maybe even for you right now, creativity just got categorized mentally as optional, as extra, as a luxury, as something you you earn before all the work is done or after the work is done, right? And because of that, many artists unknowingly learn to associate their creativity with guilt. If I'm creating, I'm I'm neglecting something. If I'm if I'm painting, I'm wasting time. If I'm in the studio, I'm being selfish. And friend, listen, that mindset will absolutely drain the life out of any artist over time. Because creativity was never meant to survive on our leftovers. I've seen this story play out in the lives of so many of my students over the years. And honestly, that was my story for you know for a lot of years too. I started making baskets from natural materials way back in the day, like 1996 back in the day. But for me, it was always something I did for myself when I had the time. And usually that meant after I'd cut the grass and completed my honeydew list and done everything at work, which back then was full-time ministry. And so, as you can imagine, that was a never-ending list. And then when Cameron, our you know, our son came along in 2003, things got even busier. And and over time, I just, you know, unwittingly, unknowingly started dying on the inside. Not because God didn't love me or have a plan for my life, but just because I wasn't making space for the very thing that God gave me to bring me life, which for me was making and creating and being in the woods. Listen, I don't know if if you've ever felt like this, too, right? You you love God, you you love your family, you want to be responsible, but somewhere deep inside, there's just this ache to create that never fully goes away. That that desire to create just keeps coming back. And honestly, that's one of the biggest signs your creativity matters a lot more than you think. And it's why I recently created a free guide called Five Signs You're on the Right Track as an artist, because so many of us artists are constantly second-guessing ourselves spiritually. They keep waiting for external permission when often the desire itself is the sign, is the permission, right? So listen, if that sounds like you and you're wanting to know if you're on the right track as an artist, there's a there's a link right below this video. And make sure you grab that free guide because I think it'll really encourage you where you are in your journey. Now, here's what's really interesting. I've noticed that so many artists don't actually struggle with with laziness, although some of us get accused of that from time to time. We actually struggle sometimes with permission, and that's a completely different issue. See, a lot of artists I know are incredibly hardworking people. I mean, in fact, many are over-responsible, right? They take care of everybody, carry the emotional weight for everybody, they serve constantly, they sacrifice constantly, but again, somewhere along the way, they stopped believing their own needs mattered. And because creativity feels so deeply personal for most of us, it often becomes the first thing that gets sacrificed in our life. And this is what I call, you know, the Cinderella trap. You know, you're constantly tending to everybody else's world, cleaning and fixing and serving and maintaining and taking care of all the responsibilities, all on your shoulders, but but somehow your own creative life never quite gets invited to the ball, if you will. And eventually artists start saying things like, Well, I'm dead inside, I'm feeling numb, I'm exhausted, I don't even know who I am anymore. I mean, I I've literally had artists tell me over the years, Matt, I am feeling starved in my life. And I I honestly understand that. I mean, because for so many artists, our creativity is not just a hobby, it's it's our oxygen. It's one of the primary ways that God designed you to process life and experience beauty and hear his voice, release healing, receive healing and partner with him. And listen, when that part of your life gets constantly pushed aside, you don't just lose productivity, you lose connection. And again, you know, as I look back at my own journey, the times when I struggled the most spiritually, financially, even in my own personal life were a hundred percent the times when I was creating the least. It's the times where I felt overwhelmed and empty on the inside, that I went to things like food or even pornography for many years in my life, not because I was trying to rebel against God, but because I was looking for that deep sense of connection and purpose that I knew was out there. But unfortunately, I just couldn't find outside of God in my creative process. And I think this is where the conversations get super spiritual for all of us because sometimes, you know, we use busyness and responsibility as a way to avoid vulnerability. Now, I'm not saying that harshly, I'm trying to say that as compassionately as I can to you and to me because creating requires something from us. It requires our presence and faith and risk and exposure. Listen, it's it's vulnerable to make art, to create, to care. It's vulnerable to put to put your heart into something creatively. And honestly, sometimes staying endlessly busy feels a lot safer than creating and putting ourselves out there. Listen, laundry can be controlled, honeydew lists can be controlled, but creativity requires surrender. And I think for a lot of artists, the real battle is not time management, it's agreement. Will I agree with the gift that God has placed inside of me? Will I honor it? Will I make room for it? Will I stop treating it like an inconvenience? That's the real issue. And in just a minute, I'm going to show you the practical mistake that keeps so many artists stuck in this cycle over and over and over for years without even realizing it. But before I do, you know, this reminds me again so much of that story of Mary and Martha in scripture. I love that story. You know, Martha was so busy, right? Serving and busy working, busy managing responsibilities. And again, Jesus wasn't condemning responsibility in that story, but Martha had been become so consumed with doing that she lost connection with presence. Meanwhile, Mary was there sitting at the feet of Jesus, relationship first, connection first, presence first. And I think for so many artists, maybe even you, responsibility has replaced relationship. Not intentionally, not rebelliously, but just slowly over time. And friend, I really believe that one of the enemy's greatest strategies for us as creative people is not necessarily to make us evil or following the devil, but simply to get us too busy and too guilty and too exhausted and too distracted to fully embrace who God created us to be. Not because it makes you valuable, you're already valuable in Christ, but because your creativity is one of the ways that God designed his nature to flow through your life into the world. That's why when artists finally start creating again after so many years, they often say things like, oh my gosh, I feel alive again, I feel peace again, I feel connection and close to God again. Why? Is that just magic? No, it's because they're reconnecting with God's divine design in their life. Listen, I want to show you a few really practical ways you can start breaking this pattern of just busyness in your life because I know some of you are wondering, like, okay, Matt, this is great, but you know, what do I actually do right now? Well, listen, my story was unfortunately one that, you know, I had to get kind of to the bottom of the bottom in my life: bankruptcy, loss of jobs, companies I own, disconnection from community, years of unhealthy coping habits, only to realize that that none of what I was trying to do in my life was working. And listen, I'm not saying that going back to my art was the only thing, the magic pill, but it was definitely a part of how God started drawing me back to himself, healing my heart, dismantling my unhealthy ways of living, and setting me on a healthy pattern of life and creativity with him. So, what do you actually do if this is where you are and you want to stop putting creativity last without feeling and becoming irresponsible? Well, first, listen, stop waiting for perfect conditions. Because, friend, listen, life rarely settles down on its own. There will always be another reason to delay your creativity. If you keep waiting until everything's done, you may wait, you know, your whole life, right? Second, I would say start creating before all of your energy is gone every day. You know, most artists try to create with emotional leftovers at the end of the day, after everybody else gets the best of them, after all their energy, their mental energy, physical energy is spent. And then they wonder why their creativity feels so hard. Listen, you need to give God your first fruit sometimes, not your leftovers. Thirdly, I would say this: stop treating creativity like a reward in your life. Start treating it like a relationship. For me and for so many others, this really changes everything because now your studio time isn't selfish. It's about connection, communion with God, partnership with Him. Fourth, I would say start smaller than you think you need to. You know, some of us have these huge, grandiose dreams, and that's awesome. But some of you are waiting for these uninterrupted three, four, five, eight hours of creativity. But what if you just started with 15 minutes? You know, consistency really does matter more than intensity. And finally, I would just say give yourself permission to prioritize creativity occasionally. Not after everything, not only when you deserve it, but intentionally. Because if your gift of creativity was important enough for God to give it to you, trust me, it ought to be important enough for you to give it the time and attention and space it needs to really flourish in your life. And honestly, friend, this is one of the biggest reasons that I created what's called the thriving Christian Artist Pathway and coaching community. Because so many artists have spent years waiting for life to calm down fully before embracing their creative calling. But eventually, most people realize life does not magically create room for your calling. You have to intentionally build that. And that's what the pathway is designed to help artists do: to move from confusion to clarity, from guilt to confidence, from constantly delaying creativity to finally walking in freedom and consistency and purpose with God. Listen, I'm super excited. We're opening enrollment for the pathway really soon. So make sure you're subscribed right here to the channel because I'll be sharing some details uh very soon. And I'll also drop a link down uh below the video so you can check out what the pathway in the coaching community is going to be all about. All right. But hey, listen, before I end, I really want you to hear this today. If the desire to create keeps coming back in your life, that is not something to suppress. It's not selfish, it's not foolish, it's not irresponsible. Maybe, maybe it's just God continuing to invite you back to the life that He created you to live with Him. Trust me, your creativity was never meant to survive on emotional leftovers. And maybe today is the day that you finally stop putting your art last and bring it up front where it belongs. Listen, if this encouraged you, make sure to grab that free guide. All right, the link is right below. And also, I'd love for you to leave me a comment. I really do read every one of those, and I love, love, love seeing how God is moving in your life and the questions that that my videos are causing you to struggle with and the places you're getting breakthrough in. So please let me know what's going on in your life in the comments. All right. Hey, I love you. Thanks for being here. And remember, till next time, you were created to thrive. Bye.