Alan Fadling's Blog, page 11

UL #309: No Instant Saints: Embracing the Pace of Grace (Alan)

 

Growing in grace is not about thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. If you’ve ever felt like you’re struggling to grow or that life’s challenges keep setting you back, you’re not alone. The journey toward spiritual maturity is rarely straightforward, and it’s easy to feel like we’re not progressing the way we should. We live in a culture that craves quick fixes and instant results, but real growth takes time, intention, and grace.  

 

Today, we’re diving into what it means to grow in grace, why it’s so difficult, and how embracing our weaknesses can draw us closer to God’s generosity and strength. That’s our focus today on the Unhurried Living podcast.

 

References in the podcast:

Eugene Peterson - On Living Well
Alan Fadling - An Unhurried Life
Teresa of Avila - The Interior Castle
Thomas H. Green - Darkness in the Marketplace

Burnout and the Identity Treadmill: How to Find Real Peace

Blog by Alan Fadling

I’ve struggled with insecurity most of my life. More often it has made me timid rather than brash or self-promoting. It has been important for me to lean into my insecurities rather than avoiding what makes me feel timid.

 

Avoiding what provokes insecurity hasn’t been a good move for me. Accommodating insecurity tends to expand it instead of reduce it. Insecurity has me looking to my work to get something. Working from security in Christ enables me to come to work to give something. The difference is profound, even if it is hard sometimes to discern.

 

In a recent podcast interview, I was asked, “What is something you think you need that you don’t actually need?” My answer: more fame.

 

I’m an author. Most of us who write books would like more people to know about our books and read them. There is nothing wrong with that. We work on marketing and publicity. That’s a key element of the work of being an author.

 

But fame? That’s a different thing. That’s about having more and more people not only knowing about you but also liking you or admiring you. Doesn’t that sound at least a bit insecurity-driven?

 

If my identity is rooted in fame, how much fame will satisfy me? Won’t I always be able to point to someone who has more of it than I do? And won’t that in turn drive me to seek more of it? Fame solves insecurity like saltwater quenches thirst. It doesn’t. More fame only drives insecurity deeper.

 

Having the good opinion of a lot of people doesn’t actually change anything about me. If many people appreciate a book I’ve written, I can say “thank you.” It’s a gift. But if I need lots of people to like a book I’ve written, then I’ve stepped into a trap.

 

And you don’t have to be a public figure to want more people to like you. Social media is obviously built on a common longing to be liked. The most basic positive response to a social media post is called a “like.” There’s a great difference between enjoying likes on your posts and needing them. Assuming that the likes others add to your social posts are essential to your well-being will put you on a treadmill that is steadily running faster and faster.

 

So, in case I haven’t made it clear how insecurity drives hurry, let me say it bluntly: If you have to do impressive things to prove yourself, you’ll have to keep doing more and more. An identity you have to prove is subject to the law of diminishing returns. You have to do more and more, bigger and better, to get the same identity high you got before with doing less.

 

You can walk on this identity treadmill at 3 mph. Or jog on it at 5 mph. You can even sprint on it at 12 mph. But eventually you just can’t run any faster. You can’t do more. For some, this becomes burnout. For others, it provokes a kind of midlife crisis.

 

But these painful experiences might be a gift if they awaken us to the reality that what we were painfully trying to earn is something God has already given us.

 

Let me ask a simple question: How do you know if insecurity is driving hurry in your life?

 

One way to discern the answer to this question is basic: Insecurity and true prayer are at odds with one another. Humility and prayer are longtime friends, and insecurity is very different from humility.

 

In An Unhurried Leader, I talk about why I sometimes struggle in prayer: “I’ve come to discover that my struggle in prayer tends to correspond to the degree that I am seeking to establish my identity through things I do and through what others say about me. This me is what Brennan Manning, in his book Abba’s Child, called the impostor, and this impostor often tries to take responsibility (and credit) for my leadership roles” (p. 152).

 

Here's an extended description of the impostor as Brennan Manning described it:

 

“Obviously, the impostor is antsy in prayer. He hungers for excitement, craves some mood-altering experience. He is depressed when deprived of the spotlight. The false self is frustrated because he never hears God’s voice. He cannot, since God sees no one there. Prayer is death to every identity that does not come from God. The false self flees silence and solitude because they remind him of death.” (Quoted in An Unhurried Leader, p. 152)

 

I’ve come to recognize in my own experience that when I’m resisting the regular practice of prayer, it’s often a time when this impostor has been operating as my primary identity. Only an identity rooted in something real and God-given can really pray. If I am awake enough, I realize that my level of resistance to prayer is a warning light on the dashboard of my leadership, making me aware of this misplaced sense of identity.

 

Resistance to connecting with God is a sign that I don’t really believe my value is rooted in God but is hiding out there somewhere for me to find and achieve myself.

 

Remember: You are already valued by the One whose perspective matters most. Take that with you as you engage your life, your relationships, and your work.

 

For Reflection:

That little line from 1 John 4 would be good to keep in the back of your mind, perhaps as a question: “How am I coming to know and more deeply rely on God’s love for me? In what ways might insecurity be driving me to grab for something I actually already have in God?”

UL #308: Live Slowly (Gem with Jodi Grubbs)

 

Jodi Grubbs fell headlong into the endless rush and exhaustion of hustle culture. After leaving her childhood home on the island of Bonaire in the Caribbean, she had assumed the rapid pace and stress of city living in the States. Soon she realized God was bidding her to a return to the "island time" of her past.

 

In time Jodi found sanctuary and ways to care for her soul by making space for God, others, and herself. Evoking the contentment she once had in the gentle rhythms of Bonaire, she learned of another path: a path away from burnout and toward restoration. And she invites you, too, to grasp a sustainable approach to life anchored by the forced pauses of spiritual practices and an openhandedness before God. Begin to rest and let go of the need to keep up, as you learn to live slowly.

 

Jodi Grubbs is the podcast host of Our Island in the City and a slow-living advocate. She is the author of Live Slowly: A Gentle Invitation to Exhale, a children’s book, The Island Adventures of Lili and Oliver, and coauthor of a Bible study called The Friendship Café. Jodi her daughter, Lili, live outside Raleigh, North Carolina.

Ul #306: Live Slowly (Gem with Jodi Grubbs)

 

Jodi Grubbs fell headlong into the endless rush and exhaustion of hustle culture. After leaving her childhood home on the island of Bonaire in the Caribbean, she had assumed the rapid pace and stress of city living in the States. Soon she realized God was bidding her to a return to the "island time" of her past.

 

In time Jodi found sanctuary and ways to care for her soul by making space for God, others, and herself. Evoking the contentment she once had in the gentle rhythms of Bonaire, she learned of another path: a path away from burnout and toward restoration. And she invites you, too, to grasp a sustainable approach to life anchored by the forced pauses of spiritual practices and an openhandedness before God. Begin to rest and let go of the need to keep up, as you learn to live slowly.

 

Jodi Grubbs is the podcast host of Our Island in the City and a slow-living advocate. She is the author of Live Slowly: A Gentle Invitation to Exhale, a children’s book, The Island Adventures of Lili and Oliver, and coauthor of a Bible study called The Friendship Café. Jodi her daughter, Lili, live outside Raleigh, North Carolina.

Notice, Discern, Respond: A Three-Step Process to Reframe Your Thoughts

Blog by Gem Fadling

 

Notice, discern, respond (NDR). Alan first introduced those three simple words in An Unhurried Leader and I further unpacked them in my book Hold That Thought .

 

While you can learn more about NDR in Hold That Thought, I’d like to simply walk you through the process today. Once you get the hang of NDR, it can become a good friend that helps you redirect your thinking. You can refer to this at any time to make some headway with a few of your most prominent unhelpful thoughts.

 

Let’s begin with NOTICE.

 

NOTICE

 

It’s important to begin with the practice of noticing. Become aware of the voices in your head. Don’t judge them or hide them. Simply notice and acknowledge them.

 

This is about bringing these voices into the light and not letting our thoughts remain unconscious or unquestioned. Don’t be afraid to look within. Fear keeps us trapped, so try to become curious about yourself and your thoughts.

 

Ponder for a moment… Try to capture one unhelpful thought that comes up for you often and write it down.

 

Examples might be:

 

Why can’t I get this right?
If only they would change, things would be all better.
I will feel okay once I get everything checked off my to-do list.
 So many things could go wrong. I can’t lose control.
 My opinion doesn’t matter. I don’t want to put myself out there.

 

You can borrow one of these or come up with your own. Whatever you choose, simply write it down.

 

Now, under that sentence, write two or three more unhelpful statements that often accompany your first thought. I’ve noticed that unhelpful thoughts like to come in clusters.

 

When you are ready, circle the one thought you would like to work with right now.

 

Once you have circled your chosen thought, let’s move on to DISCERN.

 

DISCERN

 

Discerning is about becoming more curious. Openness and honesty help here so that you can uncover what’s going on. Discernment is the key to becoming wiser and more confident. It is also the precursor to more healthy responses. Some thoughts will shift easily and others will require more time. Either way, you can move toward responding.

 

Look at the unhelpful thought you circled.
Reflect on the following questions as you continue journaling. Take your time. Pause as you linger over each question…

How have I come to rely on this thought?
What is it costing me to let this thought run the show?
What is making it difficult for me to let go of this thought?
What is the benefit of shifting to a more helpful thought?

 

Once you have journaled your initial responses to these questions, look back over your answers. Make some notes in the margins. What do you notice? What is the most helpful here? Do you see any patterns?

 

When you are ready, let’s move to RESPOND.

 

RESPOND

 

Once you have spent time discerning your thought, you can respond by coming up with a new, more helpful thought.

 

Rather than reacting, you can move through notice and discern into respond. Process matters in this case, especially if you want to make lasting change. In the work of changing your thought, consider a reframe and the helpful shift you would like to make. This may happen quickly or, depending on how deeply this thought is anchored within, it may take awhile. Either way, simply take the next step and keep going until you are engaging a new healthy pattern.

 

Look again at the first unhelpful thought you circled.

 

Now that you have spent a little time in discernment, see if you can come up with a new, more helpful thought.

 

Remember, this is a practice moment, not a perfection moment. Simply come up with a good first draft of a new thought. It can be edited and you can always add more thoughts later.

 

Write down a new, more helpful thought that might replace your first unhelpful thought.

 

Here are some samples based on the unhelpful thoughts I listed for you earlier:

 

Why can’t I get this right? Might become…

So, I didn’t get it right the first time. Condemning myself isn’t helping me right now. It’s actually okay to keep trying until I improve. I am going to give myself the grace to try again.


If only they would change, things would be all better. Might become…

I can learn to not give all the power to others. My well-being doesn’t rest on other people’s behavior.

 

I hope you hear my heart here. I’m not talking about a Pollyanna way of thinking. We are simply taking unhelpful thoughts and turning them on their head. I know it’s not that easy to make the shift. This will take time.

 

This is about telling ourselves the truth. Critical, shaming, or numbing thoughts do not help us mature the way we desire. We are simply becoming more aware of our thoughts so that they don’t run the show and keep us from engaging life the way we want to.

 

And remember, thought work is simply one part of a holistic approach to healing and wholeness. We don’t simply wrangle our thoughts on the road to change. We also work with our emotions, our body, our nervous system, our past traumas, and more.

 

NDR is just one more tool you can use to work with your inner life as God grows, matures, and heals you.

 

The practice of NDR is all throughout my book Hold That Thought. I hope you’ll pick up a copy and lean into your thoughts under the guidance of our loving Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

For Reflection: 

I encourage you to set aside 15 minutes right now or later this week so you can engage this practice.
Give yourself the gift of learning to notice, discern, and respond to your thoughts with grace and agency.

 

Remember, you’re making your way forward one small, simple, and gracious step at a time.

UL #307: The Narrow Way of Jesus (Alan with Rich Villodas)

 

When Jesus calls us to follow him, he invites into a narrow way—onto a narrow path. And narrow doesn’t immediate strike us as inviting. But Jesus also tells us that he’s come so that we could experience an abundant, rich life. That’s inviting. How does the narrow way of Jesus lead us to the sort of fullness he promises? 

 

In my first interview of the Fall season, I’m glad to be able to share a conversation I had with Rich Villodas a few months ago about his new book, The Narrow Path: How the Subversive Way of Jesus Satisfies Our Souls. I love that title. In it, he offers a vision of how following the way of Jesus is what we most deeply and truly want. 

 

Rich Villodas is the Brooklyn-born lead pastor of New Life Fellowship, a large multiracial church with more than seventy-five countries represented in Elmhurst, Queens. Rich holds a Master of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary. He enjoys reading widely, preaching and writing on contemplative spirituality, justice-related matters, and the art of preaching. He's been married to Rosie since 2006 and they have two beautiful children, Karis and Nathan.

 

Previous Unhurried Living Podcast interviews with Rich:

The Deeply Formed Life

Breaking Free from Insecurity: How God’s Love Liberates Us from the Need for Approval

Blog by Alan Fadling

In An Unhurried Leader, I shared that I’ve often been tempted to prove something about myself through the work I do. I behave as though my value is uncertain and needs to be earned or achieved. But to use theological categories, my worth is more a matter of grace than it is a matter of works. That sort of insecurity has been a major driver of hurry in my life. I wonder if you identify.

 

But our value as persons is given us by our Father in heaven. The jury is not out deliberating about this. The Father has already determined that he loves us and delights in us as sons and daughters who belong to him.

 

But so often we still find ourselves seeking something in our work that only God can give us. Insecurity like that is a major motor for hurry. It can drive us to frantic activity that drains us—a frenetic pace that wearies us. It makes such a difference when we bring holy confidence and joy to our work.

 

Again, we are mistaken when we imagine that our worth is hanging in the balance of how well we perform. In this scenario, if you have a productive and successful week, you feel like you matter. If you have a bad week, an unproductive week, a week that feels way more like failure than success, you can feel worthless.

 

In the kingdom of God, we bring worth to our work rather than finding worth there. We express our value rather than establish it through what we do. This has been a paradigm shift for me, one that I’m still making.

 

Let me remind you, because I’ve said this before: Your identity is a gift you’ve already received rather than a paycheck you have to keep earning.

 

In an early chapter of An Unhurried Leader, I wrote, “My leadership has sometimes been a frantic attempt to establish some sense of an identity I feel I don’t yet possess. I’m seeking a God-honoring way of leading that is fueled by a secure sense of the value and identity I have in him. But I’ve too often found myself leading from a place of unholy dissatisfaction rather than from a place of holy satisfaction” (pp. 18-19).

 

Leading from insecurity puts pressure on those I serve. No matter how subtle it may be, I’m communicating that I need something from them. That I need them to be impressed by me. That I need their “Wow!”

 

By the way, insecurity doesn’t always look timid or tentative. Often, especially in leaders, insecurity is expressed in overstatement or overperformance or showy self-expression. Whenever I find myself seeking to impress others, you can bet that insecurity is at the root of that activity.

 

But at my best, I am free from needing anyone else’s “Wow.” The affection of my Father in heaven, which is given rather than earned, is all I need. And I already have access to that now, before I do one impressive thing. The delight of God over me is measureless.

 

When I’ve struggled to trust God’s words of love and pleasure over me, I find myself looking to just about anyone or anything else to prove—or even earn—some sense that I matter. And most of the time I don’t even realize that’s what I’m doing. This is one of the reasons why spiritual disciplines of disengagement are so important for leaders. They help us grow in greater self-awareness. They train us in noticing what’s happening in us right in the middle of the busyness that surrounds us.

 

When I regularly practice solitude and silence, for example, there is no one there to impress with my presence or my words. There is no one from whom I can seek approval. There is only God, and God is not waiting for me to impress him. He already knows all there is to know about me. He already knows my successes and my failures. He already knows my good work and my bad. He knows me fully, and he embraces me as I am.

 

There is a potent line in 1 John 4:16 that I’ve come to love: “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

 

When we talk about knowing the love of God, we can too easily stop at just knowing about God’s love. It’s a verse we’ve memorized. It’s a teaching we’ve heard. It’s an idea we agree with, at least in theory.

 

But John says that he has come to know and rely on the love of God for him. Relying goes deeper. It involves confident experience. God’s love can become rooted and established in us. Relying on God’s love becomes a foundation for who we are and what we do. It produces a holy security that displaces insecurity in us.

 

Knowing and relying on the love of God for us changes everything—inside and out. God’s love sends us confidently as servants into our world.

 

For Reflection:

In what ways does insecurity show up in your life or work? How might it help if you came to more deeply know and rely on God’s love for you?

UL 306: The Power of Raw and Authentic Prayer

 

Long gone are the days when I have the energy to put on any pretense when I talk with God. This has been a welcome and freeing change in my prayer life. 

 

At this point in my journey, it is much more life-giving to simply declare the way things are, rather than trying to tidy up my mess and present it in a nice, neat package.

 

If I’m mad, sad, joyous or frustrated, God already knows, and so I am free to express what is…and meet God right in the middle of it.

 

Unhurried Living Prayer Resoures:

INVISO Prayer Reflection Cards
Unhurried Time with God resource guide
The Practice of Unhurried Prayer

The Hidden Power of the Hero’s Journey

Blog by Gem Fadling

On the list of things you definitely do not need to know is what shows I like to watch in my spare time. But I’m going to share anyway. I really love singing competition shows. Yes, I’m talking about The Voice and American Idol.

 

I’m especially attracted to the mentoring aspects on The Voice. There is something intriguing about an experienced artist finding a diamond in the rough and nurturing them into a more polished performer. I never tire of that storyline.

 

The modus operandi on American Idol is slightly different. The judges aren’t necessarily looking for the best, most well-trained voice. They’re looking for someone who has star quality and a unique style point of view.

 

The one thing both shows have in common is that they tell the contestants’ backstories to draw viewers into their lives. They share a sense of personal drama so our hearts might become attached to them and we will keep watching. When we hear a contestant’s story, we are immediately drawn in and want them to succeed.

 

The show producers often choose to highlight difficulties a contestant has faced in life, and these human-interest stories build as the competition moves forward. My question is this: What is it about a dramatic hardship story that draws us in?

 

Maybe it’s because everyone loves a good underdog story. Hardship taps into our innate love of the Hero’s Journey that is built into every great story and biography. It is a through-line we all relate to because it portrays the truth of how things work in life: We won’t grow in maturity and wisdom unless we make our way through the rough times.

 

As a refresher, the Hero’s Journey can be summarized this way: 

Call to Adventure: The hero is introduced in their ordinary world and receives a call to embark on an adventure.
Crossing the Threshold: The hero leaves their familiar world behind and enters a new, unfamiliar realm filled with challenges.
Trials and Tribulations: The hero faces various tests, makes allies and enemies, and undergoes significant growth.
Climax and Transformation: The hero confronts the central ordeal, achieving a victory that leads to transformation and personal growth.
Return with the Elixir: The hero returns to the ordinary world with newfound knowledge, wisdom, or a tangible reward that benefits their community.

 

We see this play out in every meaningful story, and nowhere is it more recognizable than in The Lord of the Rings. Can you see Frodo’s journey in the description above?

 

While singing shows are not on the same level as Tolkien’s tomes, producers know that an audience will resonate with the Hero’s Journey, so they give it to us in bite-size versions of the contestants’ lives. We can’t help being intrigued by this formula, and so we are drawn into the story and into their lives.

 

The Hero’s Journey is integral to understanding ourselves. It can give us a sense of purpose and place. We are all called to the adventure of our own lives, for as we move along in years we will certainly face challenges and unfamiliar territory. No one gets by without trials and difficulties. And these ultimately move us toward wisdom, maturity, and growth.

 

We can see the Hero’s Journey throughout the Bible in the stories of Abraham, Joseph, David, and even Jesus himself as he made his way to the cross. They were called out of the ordinary and into the adventure, journeyed through trials, and finally arrived at a place of transformation. It seems to be a God-ordained progressions, like it’s somehow encoded in our DNA.

 

It is important to remember that process matters. Having a bigger picture can help us make our way forward when the path ahead grows dim or overwhelming. And holding on to the hope of future wisdom gained can give just enough light to see by.

 

Notice how the resulting wisdom isn’t only for us but for the community. It benefits the people around us. This is the stuff of epic stories—and you are living yours right now.

 

A big part of our calling in life is to “share our lives.” This is the very message Alan and I received from God over thirty years ago. We took it as an invitation to share not only information but the how, when, where, and why of transformation.

 

Your story—your actual life with all its ups and downs—is what draws people to you. Don’t be afraid to share the rough bits when it’s appropriate in a particular situation or relationship. People need to know they aren’t alone. When we share our trials, we have a chance to receive and offer compassion, empathy, and community.

 

I realize that singing competition shows aren’t of cosmic importance, and yet even they take the time to tap into the Hero’s Journey to draw us toward the contestants.

 

Be mindful of where you are in your journey. Keep your finger on the pulse of the larger story in which God has placed you and continue to cooperate with his invitations along the way.

 

For Reflection: 

Where do you find yourself on your own epic journey these days?
How might you meet God within this specific season?
How might your experience help, encourage, or inspire in others?

Taming Temptation: Slowing Down for Inner Peace

Blog by Alan Fadling

Two weeks ago I pointed out how temptation thrives on hurry. The truth is, if we were to take our time and reflect on the thing that is tempting us, we would say no to it. But temptation is like an advertisement that says “Buy it now!” Maybe you wouldn’t buy it if you paused a minute or two and thought about whether or not you need it.

 

The temptation of anxiety wants to rush you to respond. It wants to hurry you to react.

 

Remember the counsel of James, who says to resist the devil and he will flee from you. When we withstand the temptation to worry, we discover such temptation doesn’t have a great deal of endurance. If we really do offer ourselves to God rather than offering ourselves to worry-filled ruminating, we find that we can resist the impulsiveness of anxiety and Christ’s peace displaces it at the center of our lives.

 

Sometimes we may think we’re actively resisting temptation when we’re still giving it access to our minds and hearts. Inwardly entertaining temptation energizes it so it will not flee. Redirecting our attention to God-with-us will diminish the potency of temptation until it finally gives up—at least in that moment. Even in the example of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness, we read that the tempter left him until a more opportune time (Luke 4:13).

 

Another way that anxiety provokes soul hurry is the impulse to control our circumstances or even other people. We imagine that if we could make people do something (or stop doing something), we would no longer feel anxious. We think this is the path of protecting ourselves from the harm we fear.

 

But controlling circumstances is really beyond us. We may have a smidge of agency, but so many factors in what goes on around us are completely out of our control. For example, as I was editing this post, I awoke one morning to find strong Santa Ana winds had blown over a multi-trunk ornamental pear tree that’s been in our front yard for decades. What could I do about that? Nothing. How could I have prevented that? I couldn’t. All kinds of things happen in my life that I’m powerless to change.

 

Control is an illusion. Attempting to control circumstances or other people as a way to manage our own anxiety is always a losing game that will only raise more anxious feelings in us. The perfectionism that drives our attempts to micromanage everything only amplifies anxiety.

 

A far more fruitful approach to dealing with our anxiety is to look not so much for outward changes as inward ones. If we embrace peace instead, it is possible to find an eye at the center of our anxiety storm. Rather than letting anxiety accelerate our thoughts and drive us to a great deal of fruitless activity, we can abide in the presence of the Prince of Peace here and now—right in the middle of all that swirls around us. This is the strategy that Jesus and his apostles seem to recommend for us in the New Testament writings. 

 

Even as I share these insights, I’m not speaking from some plateau of peace where I never feel nervous or fearful anymore. I still often find myself reacting to unpleasant or unwelcome surprises with anxious thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. These are moments in which I can decide how I’ll respond to my inward experiences of anxiety.

 

Will I ruminate or will I pray?
Will I frantically try to control my circumstances, or will I find my way into acknowledging God’s strong presence that surrounds me in the midst of trouble?
Will I fret or will I entrust my cares to God-with-me?

 

Adding anxious commentary or writing an anxious story to accompany my anxious thoughts and feelings won’t resolve the anxiety but actually increases it.

 

Here’s another thing I’ve noticed when I’m letting anxiety run the show: I jump to conclusions. Which is just another form of hurry. I think I know what’s happening and then act on those assumptions. I take actions based on a mistaken reality.

 

A recent example of this was when I couldn’t find my wallet after we’d gone out for dinner. I immediately began to fret that I might have left it at the restaurant and considered calling them, but maybe I had left it in the car. I went out and anxiously searched around the driver’s seat without success. I frantically searched everywhere it could have ended up. I even started looking in places around the house where it really couldn’t have been…just to do something.

 

Eventually, I discovered my wallet wedged in the cushion of my familiar recliner. It had fallen out of my side jacket pocket. It really was the most obvious place, but anxiety had driven me on a fruitless search.

 

Following the lead of my anxious reactions to unpleasant circumstances does not result in wise action. All capacity for creative and reasonable thinking gets bypassed when I let myself be anxiety reactive. But if I take just a moment to pay attention to God in the midst of an unpleasant surprise, it often doesn’t take long for me to respond from a sense of God’s superintending peace that overrides anxiety.

 

As I said in A Non-Anxious Life, anxiety is not a wonderful counselor. It’s been wrong so often that I’d do better to see it as a false prophet. I don’t want anxiety defining reality for me. Jesus does that so much better!

 

I’m learning that peace really can displace worry at the center of my life. I’m learning that peace is more productive than anxiety. I’m continuing to learn how to live my life and do my work in the faithful presence of the Prince of Peace.

 

For Reflection:

How often do you find yourself rushing to respond to anxiety-driven thoughts and impulses?
Can you identify moments when anxiety has led you to make hasty, unwise decisions? How might you handle those situations differently?
Reflect on a recent time when you felt anxious. How could you have redirected your attention to God in that moment?