My senior pastor, Paul Risler, often reminds our staff that one of our core values at Central is change: “We value change and the opportunities it presents.”
Of course, it’s far easier to include change in your list of values than it is to actually value change.
This year presents a lot of change in my life. Allyssa and I are building a team to launch a new church in Columbus. Later this year, we’re moving to Columbus. We just had a baby. That’s a lot of new things. That’s a lot of change, and it’s just getting started.
Recently, I’ve been thinking about this change and almost feeling sorry for myself. I mean, not really feeling sorry for myself: All of the change is good! It’s exciting and wonderful. But it’s a lot to handle, and so I’ve thought somewhere in the back of my mind: “poor Joe, you’ve got a lot going on! You’ve got a lot to be stressed about.”
It’s true. I do. And I’m sure so do you. We always do. And I tend to let stress win more than I should. But a couple moments ago I began to look at today as if I was looking back on it. As someone who has lived through the change and has become a different person because of it. As a 5-year older version of myself looking back to today. And all I can imagine is that I will remember this season as a season ripe with potential. It’s just filled with potential.
Potential is when something is, but isn’t yet.
Potential is when there lurks in the world a quiet force that when accessed can change the world.
Potential is the energy of what could be.
There is a sense that today, there is enough change to garner unlimited potential.
Seasons before change are filled with potential. Anything can happen—which is what makes them so exciting and so stressful. I can choose to look at this as a good thing or bad thing. I can say I value change, or I can actually go through the hard work of finding the value in it.
If only that was easy.
Joe Graves 