When I write faith, I don’t mean the faith as in a religion. I refer to faith as “the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11: 1.) Faith, radical faith has been a huge pillar for me as I work in the performance industry and I love to surround myself with people of faith. I surround myself with People who say it will happen despite what the circumstances communicate. People who are daring and remain positive when the funders quit and the venue is cancelled and the rain falls and actor breaks their limb. Faith keeps me going.
Performers have this line they say, “The show must go on!” Which ultimately is a faith statement. The creation of art is not limited to a rigid set of boxes that if you fall out of then you have not created or you’ve come to a dead. No. We see many artists who have learned the “rules” of creating and proceeded to break them. Some of my favorites are Pina Bausch and Salvador Dali. They take a form and make it their own. So when we say the show must go on, it is really a creative communicating that they have faith that despite the set back, the performance will not only still be able to speak to the audience but it will also be enhanced by the set back.
My journey with faith in the creative process has been slow and steady. Sometimes I take crazy deep dives and other times I am as cautious as a dog walking on see-through glass. Last year Pastor Mike Todd pushed my faith a little further through his sermon “Wavy Faith”. At the time, I was debating whether to take on several big projects. Introvert-self wanted out of everything, but adventurous-self would fill my mind with What-if’s. What if this is your big break? What if this is what God wants you to do? What if your husband is there? Haha. What if, what if, what if. But I was honestly too scared. Plus I hadn’t surrounded myself like with like-minded people who could help me see past doubt. I hadn’t met Karen Abercrombie yet. Anyhoo, I listen to the sermon and I realize I had wavy faith. Wavy faith is faith that is shaky but still steps out of the boat and walks towards the goal.
Once this clicked for me, I prayed and said you know what God, I rather be one step closer to you and sinking in water, than safe and sound in a boat and you are nowhere close. So, I took one giant leap of faith and ‘walked on water’. Yooooo, walking on water ain’t easy! It ain’t easy yo! But now I look back and understand why Hebrews 11.6 says “But, without faith it is impossible to please God,” I mean…duh! Cause if God told you to do something cray-cray you gotta have some cray-cray faith to do it and know it will work out.
Now, this is the part that I’m still wrestling with: What if God tells you to do something that doesn’t look “right” or “Christian”. Like the prophet who was told to marry the harlot…Or a personal example for is I get a lot of flack from fellow believers saying God did not call me to be an actress. It is worldly. So for me it takes a whole lot of muscle to follow my conviction and know that this is where God wants me. At the end of the day I have to remind myself that I answer to Him. You feel me?
James 2: 17 asks “ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?”
Then it goes on to say in vs. 18
“show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. […] But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?”
Boom! Bye, Bye diffident, doubtful, dilatory self. No more shilly-shallying and wishful deliberating. It is time to act. Ha-ha pun not intended.
If any of these ideas resonate with you let me know in the comments. I would like to know.
Ciao