Learning to embrace tension and walk the narrow road of the middle ground is necessary as we grow spiritually. Whether we are experiencing situations relationally where we need to speak truth into someone’s life or extend a little grace, or whether we are discussing missional models within a Christian community. We must prayerfully allow the tension to stretch us and drive us into deeper relationship with Christ.

Practically speaking this concept works it way into almost all facets of life. Say you are a Christian who is seeking to develop community within your own apartment complex or neighborhood. How will you go about initiating relationships? Will you post flyers or send invitations to everyone in the neighborhood inviting them to a party or game night? Or will you just shovel the snow off someone’s driveway or mow someone’s lawn hoping that through serving your neighbor you can create an in for relationship? Both of these questions have to do with whether we are trying to attract others to ourselves or whether we are going to reach out to others and meet them where they are. Both scenarios could be effective in certain contexts but in order for us to be effective within our own context we must strive to be prayerful in our outreach. We must ask the Spirit to be at work in our hearts giving us insight and directing our course of action.

Another example of how we can live with in this tension that pushes us to Christ is within conversations with long-time friends or with new people we meet. We can live within the tension of relationships by learning how to be honest with people and unafraid of what they will think of us because of something we believe; although we must also attempt to be gracious to people in the midst of our conversations, because all people are created and love by God. Living within the tension seems to be a continual confession of not my will, but yours be done, which drives us further into relationship with the Father.