A Non-Anxious Presence

20 Sep A Non-Anxious Presence

Read  Psalm 112:6-10
Thought for the Day: My heart is firm when I trust the LORD!

Edwin Friedman, a family therapist, served in Washington DC for nearly forty years. During his career, Friedman helped establish the idea of a “non-anxious presence.”  Friedman believed that any organized system (whether a family, church, or workplace) is vulnerable to chaos without an individual’s ability to be self-defined, calm, and assertive even during the most difficult times. Think about it: how often are the conflicts in our lives made worse simply because someone (this includes us) was either unwilling or unable to remain calm?

As brilliant as Friedman’s concept is, it was hardly his own. In addition to being a family therapist, he was also an ordained rabbi and, as such, was extremely familiar with the words of the Psalms. Take a look at Psalm 112 (verses 6-8) where we will quickly see that it perfectly describes a “non-anxious presence”:

“For the righteous will never be moved;

    he will be remembered forever.

He is not afraid of bad news;

    his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.

His heart is steady; he will not be afraid

    until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.”

At those times when we are unable to stay self-defined, calm, and assertive, let’s remember the words of Psalm 112. If we allow ourselves to be anchored by our possessions, titles, and reputation, we are vulnerable to bad news. Instead, we can learn to stay anchored by Christ and the Scriptures. Going through our day, let’s be honest at the times we fail to be a “non-anxious presence”. Then we will see that our hearts can become firm when we trust the LORD!

In Christ,
Pastors Stan and David