I recently had my last dance performance ever, and I was struggling with the idea that if I ever perform again, I probably won't be as good a dancer as I am now. Fortunately, her talk reminded me to take comfort in the fact that even when I'm 95 and arthritic and my arms and legs and tummy are jiggling around, if I chose to dance God will see it and love it. And that's all that really matters.

I think even people in non-creative professions need to take this message to heart. We think that we deserve all the credit for everything "good" we do, which sets us up for devastation when we fail; either we blame others or beat ourselves up for not being good enough. It's all about perspective. If you recognize that your skills are really just gifts imparted from the one who formed you, you are less likely to succumb to pride, and therefore are less likely to suffer from anxiety about not doing as well next time. Everything God creates—and anything we honestly try to create with the intention of wanting to express His desires for our work—is good. There should be no comparison between these works.