spoken word::the tension is good

From the Catalyst 2010 brochure.  Written by Ameena Brown.  If you haven't seen any of her videos, you need to.

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 were
the catalyst in the moment.

A tension ensues between
our ambitions and our 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 us to His image.

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

Where is the tension in your life right now?