Tension in Life, Leadership, and Faith
Life’s never a straight line. I don’t know about you, but mine sure hasn’t been.
I’ve walked through enough challenges—personally, spiritually, and in leadership—to know that clarity doesn’t always come wrapped in a neat answer. Sometimes, growth comes through wrestling. Sometimes, strength is found not in certainty but in learning to hold the stretch.
Tension has taught me that.
Not the kind of tension that breaks things—but the kind that builds things. The kind that invites you to carry two things at once, and trust God in the middle.
For me, tension has become less something to escape and more something to embrace.
Tension That Transforms
Some of the most significant shifts in my life haven’t come from clean breakthroughs—but from seasons where I’ve had to hold complexity, navigate mess, and still keep showing up.
And oddly enough, it’s mirrored in my daily gym routine. Every morning, I show up to put my body under controlled tension. If I don’t challenge the muscle, it won’t grow. But if I overload or rush, I risk injury. It’s the balance that matters—the stretch, the resistance, the core control.
Leadership is the same.
Faith is the same.
You don’t get stronger by avoiding the strain—you get stronger by walking through it with wisdom.
Jesus Held Tension Too
And it strikes me… Jesus lived this way. His whole life held tension.
He was fully God, yet fully man (John 1:14). Not a teacher with divine insight. Not just a prophet or moral example. He is the Son of God—the one through whom all things were made, who could have resolved everything with a word, yet chose to walk the road of tension and obedience.
He spoke grace and stood in truth (John 1:17).
He withdrew to pray, yet walked straight into people’s pain.
He came as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), yet said He came to bring a sword (Matthew 10:34).
He wept at Lazarus’ tomb and overturned temple tables.
He forgave His executioners while He was being crucified.
And He held it all—not out of confusion or weakness, but from strength. The kind of strength only the Son of God could carry. He didn’t run from tension—He bore it in full, right through to the cross. And in doing so, He made a way for us to walk through it too.
If Jesus—the Son of God—held tension, why do we assume we won’t have to?
Tension in Leadership
Over the years, I’ve come to recognise key tensions that I carry daily in leadership. I used to think I had to solve them. Now, I see them as spaces where God shapes me.
- Vision vs. Reality
I see what could be. But I also know where we are. Holding both helps me lead forward without despising small beginnings. - Conviction vs. Compassion
I believe in truth. But I never want to wield it like a hammer. Jesus modelled boldness and kindness—I want to lead with both. - Urgency vs. Patience
I often feel the need to act fast. But not every “next step” is a now step. I’ve learned that waiting on God is not wasting time—it’s strengthening it (Isaiah 40:31). - Structure vs. Spirit
I believe in systems. I also believe in wind. The Church needs order and openness. It’s not one or the other—it’s both.
Four Tensions I Keep Coming Back To
Strength in the Stretch
1. Spirit-Filled & Grounded
Faith and Practicality
We’re called to be led by heaven, but we live on earth. We pray for the supernatural, and then get up and wash the dishes. Both matter.
Whether you’re in ministry or business, leadership requires listening to something deeper—but then stepping into the real-world details. It’s vision and follow-through.
2. Proclamation & Discipleship
Speaking Up & Walking With
I’ve preached in rooms full of people and sat across from someone over coffee week after week. One proclaims, the other journeys. Neither can be neglected.
Leaders often cast vision publicly—but impact happens in the one-on-one. It’s not enough to say the right things. We’ve got to walk them out alongside people.
3. Organic & Organised
Flexibility & Framework
I love when God moves in spontaneous ways. I also value a well-thought-out plan. Spirit-led spontaneity and responsible structure can live together. They need to.
The best teams—and lives—balance fluidity with order. Without structure, things fall apart. Without freedom, they never come alive.
4. Here & There
Presence & Progress
I’m constantly torn between what God’s doing now and what He’s calling us toward. I’ve learned not to rush “there” at the expense of being fully “here.”
Visionaries must also be present. It’s possible to stay grounded in today while building for tomorrow. Healthy leadership lives in both.
How Do You Carry It?
The truth is—I don’t always carry it well. Sometimes I drop the ball. Sometimes I lean too far one way and miss the other. But James gives us a reminder of what good, godly leadership looks like:
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
— James 3:17
That kind of wisdom doesn’t scream for attention. It holds tension with grace. It listens. It discerns. It stays soft but doesn’t get walked over. And when you carry that kind of wisdom, others around you start to breathe easier too.
If you’re feeling stretched right now—don’t panic. That might just be where the growth is happening.
The gym’s taught me that tension builds strength when it’s consistent, intentional, and not rushed.
Leadership—and life—isn’t so different.
Let the tension form you. Let it mature your perspective, refine your leadership, and draw you closer to the One who holds all things together—even you.
Because often, the most holy ground… is right in the middle.