When we only do what’s urgent, we can miss doing what’s important. For me, that was art.

Several years ago, I was working in Tasmania in a journalism job that I really valued, but was burning me out.

I remember sitting outside in the evening after reporting on a youth festival when one of the speakers – an incredibly energetic woman who founded her own charity and always seems ready to do great things for God – came and sat down with me.

The conversation turned to my work-life balance, and I shared that something I’d love to be able to do was paint portraits.

She said to me: ‘You should!’

‘I’d love to,’ I replied, ‘But something always seems more important.’

Her response was like a beautiful seed that once planted began – slowly – to transform the whole garden of my life.

‘No, it’s just more urgent,’ she said. ‘Just because something’s not urgent, doesn’t mean it’s not important.’

That phrase has come back to me again and again, and should probably be written on my tombstone.

Just because something’s not urgent, doesn’t mean it’s not important.

Often urgent things are important. But many important things risk falling by the wayside of our lives simply because they’re not urgent enough.

“There are many important things that are not urgent, and risk falling by the wayside of our lives.”

It took years to realise that I needed to reframe my thinking: art-making was never going to be urgent. But that didn't mean it wasn't important. If I wanted to do the important thing of making art, I needed to carve out time.

This re-framing allowed me to explore what God was wanting to do in my life, even though it didn’t fit in a neat mental picture I’d had of career or vocation.

And I realised that although it was my expectation that others would think that pursuing art was trivial or a low priority; to God – who gave us colour and light and beauty and creativity – I’m sure it is very important indeed.

Naomi Leach is a writer and emerging artist and illustrator based in Sydney Australia.