Most of us want to make a difference through our lives. A great gift we can give to others is that of a nonanxious presence. When anxiety rises among people in our lives, our presence can bring a sense of calmness to others. This calmness can become infectious, bringing down the anxiety in others.
We know the more anxious we and others are, the less clearly we can think. Anxiety brings our thinking capacity down at times when it is needed most. There are often solutions to the challenges that we face. However, if anxiety is high, it can block us from seeing the solutions including letting go of that which is out of our control.
It sounds easy from a law perspective. Stop having anxiety! Well, the real issue is how do we get a nonanxious presence? David writes in Psalm 34:4, “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” A nonanxious presence is what God wants to give us. It comes through our relationship with him. When we know God is with us, our anxiety can be reduced. We know God is with us because we were brought into his family through Jesus Christ. And we know He is with us because of his grace.
Our relationships, and really the whole world, need our nonanxious presence. Even more than the calmness we can bring, people in our lives need to know that our nonanxious presence comes from the God who loves us. We can demonstrate the peace that comes from placing our trust in God.
