I’ve been cultivating the practice of celebration over the last couple of years, learning to focus on what is working rather than what is not working.
I think there’s a big difference between a focus on celebration and simple denial.
Of course there can be profound issues that need to be addressed in churches and in families.
But when we approach people from the perspective that there is something to appreciate, however small, we’ll be different in relationship to them. And the hard conversations will be, if not easy, then easier.
In this way we focus on strength, which I think is essential for bringing change.
Try this:
- Think of a person who you find challenging right now, whether at church or in your own family. What are three things about them you can celebrate? It doesn’t matter how small.
- Think about your church. What are three things you can celebrate about your church?
What do you notice how your thinking and energy shifts?