Finding Peace: The Art of Non-Anxious Presence

So I’ve been reading and writing about “finding peace” of and on for a year now. To me, it is one of the most essential parts of my relationship with Christ. My vision of Jesus, in part, is peace. But I have learned recently about a phrase that young students in seminary school are taught and that is called “non-anxious presence”. Basically, it means being the one person in the room who maintains a peaceful presence when everyone around them is losing it. You see, when the sky is falling and everything is hitting the fan, they are the one person in the room who maintains a peaceful presence when everyone around them is losing it. You know anyone like this? Instead of becoming enmeshed in the emotional atmosphere, getting sucked in by the frustration, fear, or anger that may be swirling around them, they are able to maintain their cool. Like Ice Man! They tend to solve problems not by trying to fix others but by focusing on how they can improve themselves. For instance, instead of instructing people to “stay calm” in a difficult situation, they put their energy into remaining calm themselves. See, they understand that if they stay cool, it can change the overall vibe of the situation. Jesus was the master of non-anxious presence. He slept in a boat that was being pounded by huge waves and fed thousands of people with a few loaves of bread. Jesus was the one cool guy in every room. Jesus gives us a hope that is grounded in him and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Trusting in Christ and relying on the Spirit, we cannot help but overflow with the joy, peace, and hope that God provides. The peace that counts, the peace that is real, is the peace that comes from our relationship with Christ, not from the fact that our circumstances at any given moment happen to be going our way at the moment. As we grow in his likeness and are transformed by his Spirit, we begin to experience his peace in greater measure.“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”Romans 15:13 I don’t know about you, but I’ve got things to work on. Have a great holiday weekend, we will pick back up next Tuesday!Be Nice, Grace Wins