The pursuit for creativity and innovation

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

EVERYONE should be encouraged to be as creative and innovative as he can be. To be creative and innovative is an expression of our freedom that should be used as fully as possible. To be creative and innovative enables us to make progress and growth in our human affairs. It makes as adaptive to the changing circumstances in our life. It is making good use of the talents that we have.

In the end, it is the passionate expression of the love we have in our heart. It enables us to explore the many possibilities and options we have to carry out our desire for development and progress in the many aspects and dimensions of human life.

We just have to understand that this pursuit should be properly guided by the spirit of God, since in the end our freedom and love to be true freedom and love, which is the source of such pursuit, is none other than to do the will of God.

As we all know, it is God who is the original and ultimate Creator and Innovator. He can make everything new. As the Book of Isaiah would put it, God can always make a new thing, making “a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (43,19) Or from the Book of Revelation, we hear God saying, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (21,5)

Without God, we would be playing in some dangerous exercises that would do us more harm than good. It can be likened to a sweet poison that can lead us to a disastrous end. So, let’s be wary of the danger.

If we are truly with God, we would know how to be creative and innovative, inventive and versatile which should characterize the love and charity we ought to have with one another and in our relation with the world in general.

If we have faith in God who will give us the grace we need for this, we would simply be game with the adventure, the challenges, trials and difficulties this whole business would entail. We know that with God, his power to be creative and innovative is infinite, and if we try our best to identify ourselves with him as we should, we have good reason to achieve the same power, at least to some degree.

We therefore have to re-ignite our faith in the abiding providence of God who gives us everything we need to attain the goal that he himself has set for us. And that is, that we be true image and likeness of his, adopted children of his who can love the way he loves—that is, in endlessly creative and innovative ways.

For this, a lot of prayer is needed. A good study of the doctrine of our faith which, thank God, is already given quite clearly and completely to us. ucSh study should also be done in a continuing and deepening way.

We have to continue humbling ourselves to be able to acknowledge this need, then to go through a continuing process of conversion and renewal. Only then can we expect some spiritual growth in ourselves.

Our love should be all at once inventive, creative and versatile in the sense that we should never get stuck at a certain level of loving, no matter how successful we already are at that level.

Life continues to demand more things from us, and we cannot afford to be contented at any point. Love requires more always. There will always be new challenges, new openings, new needs, given the changing temper of the times and of people.

In short, the pursuit for creativity and innovation should be driven by love for God and others, not an expression of self-indulgence.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com