Transformation Thoughts – Of Trees and Forests

At a recent cluster meeting, a wise pastor reminded me that it is important not to lose sight of the forest for the trees. We’ve probably all heard that phrase before, and likely have even uttered it from time to time. So, the idea wasn’t something completely new. But, it was a needed reminder. In this case, I needed to hear that I was focusing on the technical aspects of the situation and neglecting the more spiritual and theological aspects. It’s not that I haven’t considered what our choices say about who we believe God to be, and how we are to live our lives in response to God, because I have! What the pastor helped me remember is the importance of communicating that part of the decision-making process.

When considering the structural arguments, there is not a clear “right” or “wrong” answer. There are possibilities and challenges with any choice, so how do we choose? My first inclination is to say, “When you don’t know how to choose, pray, discern, study the Bible, and reflect on our faith traditions.” But that answer implies that we haven’t already been doing all those things. I know I have been, not only in this situation, but throughout my life and ministry. What I have overlooked repeatedly throughout my life, is slowing down to make sure that I am communicating what I am learning from prayer, study, and reflection.

Maybe you don’t suffer from this, but I have a tendency to forget that no one else knows what is going on inside my head. I have probably been thinking and praying about a major decision for quite a while, but if I haven’t included others in that process I cannot expect them to be at the same point of the journey as I am. I remember a time when I was contemplating changing the order of worship at the church I was serving. I spent weeks, probably months, thinking through what the changes communicated about our faith and discerning what the new service would look like. Because I had spent so much time on the project, I was surprised when it met resistance from the church leadership. I even found myself feeling a little frustrated when they asked questions, because the answers were obvious to me. After all, I’d been thinking about this for a LONG time.

The step I often miss is being intentional about communicating as the decision-making process unfolds. What questions have come up and prompted me to reevaluate my initial course? Where did my plans get strengthened by different perspectives? And, maybe most importantly, WHY are we even talking about this in the first place? Communicating out throughout any change or decision process is essential. And, it is easy to overlook when the decision or change is right in front of us.
However, we cannot stop with outward facing communication. We also need to take the time to listen, really listen, to everyone who will be impacted by the decisions we are making. I learn so much when I take the time to listen to feedback from others. Our different perspectives help make any decision better for the whole community.
If we root our decision-making processes in prayerful and faithful discernment, intentionally communicate with others what is happening, and carefully listen for feedback we will make better decisions. And, we will strengthen our relationships with one another in the process, instead of straining those relationships when we lose sight of the forest for the trees.