費艾德（Edwin Friedman）是美國著名的家庭治療師兼拉比，他在1985年出版的著作《代代相傳》一書中，提出「無焦慮狀態」這個概念。後來，他在另一本書（A Failure of Nerve）中進一步闡述這個論點。他說：「當代美國的氛圍已經變得長期處於焦慮狀態，造成我們的社會在情緒方面越來越不成熟，這讓有原則、立場清晰的領導者很難發揮影響力。」費艾德強調長期性的焦慮會在家庭、職場及信仰群體中蔓延且相互影響。然而，同樣地，一位領袖所展現的無焦慮狀態是具有感染力的，能影響整個群體，成為在風暴中帶來平安的人。

詩篇第4篇是大衛處於人生風暴中所寫的詩，他滿心焦慮，因而向上帝呼求：「我在困苦中，祢曾使我舒暢。求祢恩待我，聽我的禱告」（1節，新譯本）。那時，大衛有性命之憂，也意識到他的追隨者同樣擔憂，他寫道：「有許多人說：誰能指示我們得什麼好處呢？」（6節，同上）

但大衛決意要信靠上帝，使他在焦慮的氛圍中能保持無焦慮狀態！就像他在詩中說：「我必安然躺下睡覺，因為獨有祢－耶和華使我安然居住。」（8節）

我們也可以在上帝所賜的無焦慮狀態中享有平安，願我們無論到哪裡，都能將祂的平安帶給我們周遭的人。

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.