The Tension is Good, by Amena Brown

We don’t lead from the safety of the fringe,
We take up residence in the fray.

Where change is happening,
Where change is necessary.

There we find ourselves in a unique tug-of-war
Between what was, what is, and what could be.

We are faced with the reality that we are
The catalyst in the moment.

A tension ensues between
Our ambitions and fears.

We are tempted to bail on our goals but discover
That under pressure
Our vision becomes remarkably crystallized.

A hundred voices attempt to sway us
And we find we must lean into God with
A faith deeper than we have ever known.

Change happens in the very place
Where many leaders flinch, fear, and fail.

The tension we resist is actually by design.
It tests us, it tries us,
It conforms to His image.

The tension is necessary.
The tension makes us strong.
The tension is good.