2 Thessalonians 3:16 
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way.  The Lord be with all of you. (CSB)

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all. (NLT)

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Our Father in heaven bears a non-anxious presence. This is an important attribute for us to reflect. 

A quick internet search provides dozens of good results for what a non-anxious presence is and why it is meaningful. These articles will remind us of the old saying about a person who keeps his head while others are losing theirs. 

As important as it is to bear a non-anxious presence, and as wise as it is to keep your cool under pressure, some people will not receive this well. They are anxious or agitated or irritated, and they want you to experience their mood. Some use their emotional insecurity to throw you off your mark. How should we respond?

Jesus provides the answer, of course. In Mark 4:35 and the verses following, we see Jesus and the disciples in a boat in a storm. Verse 36 tells us other boats were following, likewise at the mercy of the wind and waves. Every person was in a state of heightened emotion. They were not bearing a non-anxious presence. They were scared spitless.

Jesus was asleep. He was not tossing and turning as if in a nightmare. He was completely unafraid and at perfect peace. 

He did not change his demeanor when the disciples woke him. Instead, he simply spoke to the storm and stopped it. Then he spoke to the storm-tossed disciples and stretched their understanding of who he was. Their heartbeats continued their rally even upon water as smooth as glass because as great as was the storm, even greater was Jesus. 

What did the people in the other boats experience? They, too, experienced the calm, the peace, and the meaning of the moment. 

The Apostle Paul had some hard times along the way. (See 2 Corinthians 11:22-33.) Even so, he wrote these words: “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful,” (‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬).

Peace is a gift we can deploy when others are losing their minds, when the whole word seems topsy-turvy, and when people want you to be as upset as they are. 

Bless everyone with the peace of Christ today. 

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I will live a peaceful life. 

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Our Father, you are my peace. I receive your gift for the benefit of my own soul and for the benefit of everyone I influence. Make me a peaceful presence in a world full of conflict. Amen.