Run to the Tension
Run to the tension.
I’ve been teaching our leaders and our whole church to “run to the tension” as they lead and navigate relationships in our church and in our city.
When conflict, tension, and difficulty shows up, run to it. Face it. Deal with it. Lead through it now, not later.
Our instinct is to ignore tension, but ignoring conflict now will only make for a bigger and messier conflict three months from now.
We’re used to running away from tension because we think the first signs of conflict mean the beginning of the end of a relationship. Not true. Conflict is normal in every relationship and navigating conflict with humility and direct communication makes relationships stronger and healthier.
Run to the tension.
I love this commitment! Tension has become a core category for me in my understanding of life, myself, my faith, and certainly any interpersonal engagement worth staying in. Sometimes it is the resolution of tension that is needed, sometimes the acceptance that tension is inherent and needs to be respected and embraced. But no matter what the end, I agree wholeheartedly that tension ignored , unnamed or split off will eventually lead to fracture: of self, of faith, of relationship. Gently, then, gently may we hold the tension that allows us to be whole, and move bravely (and humbly) into the tension that divides us. After all, to be made in the image of God is a tense thing.
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An excellent resource to learn how to do this practically in business & family that has also work well for me with counseling and small group situations is “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High”.
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