Spiritual disciplines
and the artist
If you ask a pastor to list spiritual disciplines that are critical for growth - reading the Bible, meditating on its truths and praying, would probably top the list. Perhaps he will also tell you about the importance of seeking solitude, in order to hear from God.  As artists, we are by nature at ease with pursuing solitude. Our creativity craves solitude, as a plant needs water in order to thrive.
The solitude that is conducive to hearing from God is slightly different. It must be combined with studying the Bible, since God speaks primarily through His word. Early in my Christian journey, I had an insatiable appetite for the Bible. A wise friend cautioned me then about the need for making that study time, an unalterable part of my day. 
On days when I felt spiritually cold and dry, I read the Bible anyway. It never failed to change my perspective and encourage me. As I grew in understanding, I learned that there is a spiritual discipline that supersedes all others. It is the discipline of obedience. Jesus said that if we loved Him, we would obey Him. The loving is easy - the obeying sometimes overwhelmingly difficult! As artists, we possess an independence of will. Our creative natures are less likely to submit, preferring instead to chart our own course. The spiritual discipline that will surely take a lifetime to master, is consciously choosing to obey Jesus. The more we listen for His voice as we pray and meditate on His word, the clearer His voice will become. Determining to unreservedly obey Him will be a decision that will be tested often. The more I obeyed, the more I sensed His pleasure, and the clearer his truths became to me. I found to my surprise, that the other spiritual disciplines were no longer burdensome tasks. Instead of feeling obligated to read my Bible and pray, I am awed at the privilege of coming before the God of the universe, with my requests. Obedience seems to change my desires (albeit slowly!) This act of choosing obedience is a moment-by-moment decision. All my instincts and desires run contrary to God’s best for me. Like a child needing to be constantly reined in and redirected, I have become aware of my errant self will. As you can imagine, the poem above expresses that frustration!
True freedom lies in obedience, despite how contrary that sounds. Your decision to obey Him in the seemingly insignificant details of your life, will translate into a richer expression in your art.
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