The Healing Power of Creativity

When I was young, if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, I would tell you “an artist” which was a bit ironic because I had trouble coloring within the lines and I couldn’t draw much better than stick figures. Sad to say my skills have not improved much. But even though I wasn’t born with excellent fine motor skills or an artistic mind, I still have that desire to create beautiful art.

As a little kid, I loved to draw and color a particular scene. I would pull out my cigar box full of crayons and draw rolling hills with tufts of grass, colorful tulips, and a tree with a green leaf puffball on top and apples dotted throughout. In the top left corner of the page, I would draw a bright yellow quarter sun with yellow and orange lines for rays. Sometimes I would add a rainbow, fluffy clouds, or simple curved line black birds.

When I was in second grade, I had a negative experience with coloring that wounded my heart. My classmates and I were taking a quiz and my teacher told us that once we had completed the quiz, we could draw and color on the back of our papers. I finished quickly and cheerily took out my 8-pack of Crayola crayons to draw my signature picture. When it came time to draw the tree, I realized my brown crayon was missing. Not wanting to skip the tree in my drawing, I decided that even though it wasn’t the right color, I would use the black crayon for the trunk.

As my teacher walked up and down the aisles between the desks, she stopped at mine and asked me what I was drawing. I tentatively showed her my picture. She looked at my creation and asked why my tree trunk was black. I explained that I did not have my brown crayon. She replied, “Well, trees aren’t black,” and continued her stroll through the aisles. I was immediately filled with embarrassment and shame. I had taken a risk making that tree trunk black, and it had not paid off. I wanted to explain that my mistake was out of necessity, that I wasn’t stupid.

This may seem like a minor interaction that I should have gotten over quickly, but it has stuck with me my whole life. As a sensitive child with what I now recognize was social anxiety, I needed words of affirmation to feel safe, and criticism, especially unwarranted, could take me down easily. This is a very small example of a scenario in my life that enemy used to gain a foothold—to plant in my mind that I was not good or there was something wrong with me.

Recently, someone recommended the You Are Made New website to me. I joined the Hope’s Garden community, and I began looking at all the wonderful offerings of the ministries. Not long after that, I got an email about a 4-week Christian Expressive Arts coaching group using watercolors. The class description said: “You will be amazed at how He answers our prayers and makes His Presence visible in color and images. No artistic talent or experience is needed… just an openness to the Holy Spirit!” Well, the Holy Spirit must have taken over my brain for a minute because I impulsively signed up despite having absolutely no experience with watercolors and the
whole idea being completely out of my comfort zone.

The class was such a challenge for me. For some reason, despite the description of the class, I had the impression I would learn how to watercolor paint and create beautiful art, which was not at all the intention of the class. The goal of the class was to encounter the Holy Spirit and allow Him to create with us—to be childlike and playful with Him to facilitate healing. There was no formal scene we were supposed to paint and no technique we were meant to master. In other words, there was no right or wrong outcome.

However, my lack of watercolor knowledge caused me to feel confused and frustrated with myself. I fumbled with basic skills. I didn’t like how anything I painted turned out. I wanted to do everything “right” and my artwork to be “good.” I didn’t want to make a “mistake.” Here I was supposed to be having a peaceful encounter with the Lord and all I was doing was becoming anxious and upset because I couldn’t meet my own unrealistic expectations. I cried at some point during all four classes, and I wanted to quit.

As I questioned why I signed up for this class, the Holy Spirit began to reveal to me how often I avoid trying new things because of fear of embarrassment and failure. He didn’t want me to learn how to watercolor paint, He wanted me to learn (for the umpteenth time in my life) how to let go of expectations and outcomes. It was an exercise in surrender.

While having this experience through the watercolor class, I often thought about the black tree incident. A phrase kept coming to my mind—”redeem the tree.” My memory took me back to second grade and I began to see how much that incident, as well as other life wounds, were shaping how I was experiencing the class. The class was revealing my insecurities about myself and my desire to control the outcome so I would feel comfortable and safe.

Once the watercolor group finished, I joined another group to continue to lean into what God was teaching me. Each class, our coach, Laura, would read scripture to us and give us some loose guidelines for our project. The words “redeem the tree” continued to come to mind periodically. In our third session, Laura chose to focus the class on resting with Jesus. She chose these verses from the Song of Songs:

Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods,
so is my lover among men.
In his shadow I delight to sit,
and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
Song of Songs 2:3-4

My eyes widened as she read “like an apple tree,” and I laughed out loud. Laura explained that in these verses, Jesus is the lover—the tree that gives rest and gives sweet fruit to enjoy. She then instructed us to draw an apple tree, and within the apples, to draw the places where Jesus provides rest for us. Again, I laughed and I thought, “Wow, God, you are so good to me.” He had given me the opportunity to redeem the tree with Him. I began the scene as I did while I was a child, with my green crayon drawing the hills. I then added some flowers and the sun. Finally, I pulled out my black crayon, and I drew that tree with a smile on my face and gratitude in my heart.

In addition to redeeming that childhood wound, these classes have taught me more about my God-given creativity. I have always known that God is Creator, but it had never occurred to me that being made in His image and likeness means that He also gave me the gift of creativity, which is very different from artistic talent. I don’t need to have great skill to be creative. I just need to ask the Holy Spirit to inspire me and act on that inspiration.

I also learned that creativity comes in many different forms. I have always loved writing. From some reason, it wasn’t until this experience that it clicked for me that when I write, I am using God’s gift of creativity within me. When He prompted me to share my writing with the public for the first time less than two years ago, it opened a path to healing through this creativity. Participating in this group— taking that risk to join and not quitting when it got uncomfortable—was yet another step in my healing journey. I look forward to using what I have learned in these sessions as the Lord continues to heal my wounded heart.

Stacey McCormick, Copyright 2025

Laura’s Healing Through Creativity group coaching is available monthly – click HERE for information and to register!