A Nonanxious Presence 无忧无虑的同在

[Dexu Xia]

In peace I will lie down and sleep. Psalm 4:8

Today's Scripture Psalm 4

Today's Insights

Psalm 4 expresses David’s quiet confidence in God amid distressing circumstances and slanderous attacks (vv. 1-2, 8). Affirming that God had set him apart to live a life that honored Him (v. 3) and acknowledging his propensity to seek revenge on those who’d attacked him, the psalmist reminded himself, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent” (v. 4 nlt). Instead of angry retribution, he chose silent reflection on God’s goodness and faithfulness (vv. 4-8). In another psalm, David similarly wrote, “Be still before the Lord . . . . Do not fret—it leads only to evil” (37:7-8). Today, when we’re anxious, we can ask God to help us and to remind us of His presence and faithfulness.

Today's Devotional

In his 1985 book Generation to Generation, family therapist and Rabbi Edwin Friedman introduced the phrase “a nonanxious presence.” Friedman’s thesis, later articulated in A Failure of Nerve, is that “the climate of contemporary America has become so chronically anxious that our society has gone into an emotional regression that is toxic to well-defined leadership.” Friedman focused on how chronic anxiety spreads within a system—a family, a workplace, a congregation. Yet in the same way, a leader can offer a nonanxious presence that will spread through a system, becoming a person of peace in the middle of a storm.

Psalm 4 is a psalm of David, written in the middle of one of life’s storms. David was in the grip of anxiety. So he cried out to God, “Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer” (v. 1). While he was fearful for his life, he was also aware that his followers were fearful too: “Many, Lord, are asking, ‘Who will bring us prosperity?’” (v. 6).

David’s decision to trust God created a nonanxious presence in the presence of anxiety! “In peace I will lie down and sleep,” he said. David could rest because “you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (v. 8).

We too can rest in the nonanxious presence God provides. We can spread His peace wherever we go.

Reflect & Pray

What’s a current situation causing you anxiety? What would it look like to lead with a nonanxious presence?

You alone, God of peace, are my safety. May my trust in You encourage others to do the same. By John Blase

“我必安然躺下睡觉。”（诗篇 4:8）

今日经文：诗篇 第4 篇

今日灵修：诗篇 4 篇表达了大卫在困境中，在被人诽谤攻击时对上帝安然的信赖（1-2节，8节）。他肯定上帝拣选他，让他过荣耀上帝的生活（3节），并承认自己有报复攻击他的人的倾向，于是提醒自己：“不要因愤怒而犯罪。要静默一夜，默然不语。”（4节）他没有愤怒地报复，而是选择默默地默想上帝的良善和信实（4-8节）。在另一首诗篇中，大卫也写道：“当默然倚靠耶和华……不要心怀不平，以致于恶事。”（37:7-8节）今天，当我们焦虑不安时，我们可以祈求上帝帮助我们，提醒我们祂的同在和信实。

今日灵修 在1985年出版的《代代相传》一书中，家庭治疗师兼拉比埃德温·弗里德曼提出了“无焦虑的存在”这一概念。后来在《神经衰弱》一书中，弗里德曼又详细阐述了这个论点，他说，“当代美国的氛围已经变得如此长期焦虑，以至于我们的社会陷入了一种情绪退化，这对健全的领导力是有害的。”弗里德曼着重探讨了慢性焦虑如何在系统内蔓延，在家庭、工作场所、教会…。然而，领导者同样也可以展现一种无焦虑的存在，这样一种存在会在整个系统中传播，使领导者成为风暴中的平安之源。

诗篇4篇是大卫处于他人生风暴中的时候写的诗篇。当时，大卫正深陷焦虑之中，于是他向神呼求：“求你使我从患难中得解脱；求你怜悯我，垂听我的祷告。”（1节）虽然他为自己的性命担忧，但他知道跟随他的人同样恐惧：“主啊，许多人求问：谁能使我们兴盛呢？”（6节）大卫选择信靠神，这使他在焦虑之中也拥有了平静安稳的心态！他说：“我必安然躺下睡觉。”大卫能够安息，是因为“耶和华啊，唯有你使我安然居住”（8节）。我们也能安息在神所赐的平静安稳的心态中。我们可以将上帝赐予的平安带到我们所到之处。

反思与祷告 你目前面临的困境是什么？以平静安稳的心态去引导他人，会是怎样一番景象？唯有你，赐平安的神，是我的保障。愿我对你的信靠激励他人也这样做。——约翰·布莱斯