Finding peace in an anxious world | with Alan Fadling

Bonjour! Stephanie here. How do we overcome anxiety, and embrace peace? More than ever, our daily life seems to fight us on this quest. Do you, like so many of us, see anxiety as an incentive to perform? Or a proof of how much you care? Or is anxiety simply an unwelcome shadow over your days, bringing with it clenched teeth and an upset stomach?

Today is an invitation to step into a life characterized by peace, grace, and gentleness, replete with the palpable presence of God. God promises us that it is ours in Christ Jesus. The world does it best to make it impossible. So, which one will it be?

Anxiety leads us to succumb to fear and fight peace. Anxious living is a distortion of good motives, blocking the clarity of stillness and rest. Peace is the antidote to anxiety. This peace is found in practicing God's presence and embodying the virtues of grace, found in Christ. But, what does it look like, and how do we get there?

This week I welcome Alan Fadling back on the show to dive into a real and raw conversation about overcoming anxiety and finding peace. Alan has felt mastered by worry, but he brings counsel on how to learn a better way and who to look to for it: Jesus, "the ultimate non-anxious presence." He constructs a posture from which we can rest more deeply, live more fully, and lead better. Fixing our minds on grace and eternity, we can begin to see the benefit of loosening our grip and operating from a sure foundation.

Alan candidly shares his personal journey, highlighting how anxiety, coupled with perfectionism, led to a cycle of high standards, achievements, and ultimately, dissatisfaction and discouragement. His honest portrayal of himself as a "recovering perfectionist" resonated deeply with me – and I suspect I am not the only one! Alan's emphasis on progress over perfection reminds us that growth is a journey, not a destination. This is a deeply biblical message that our culture has us forget all too easily.

And so we find that grace, with its essence of unmerited favor and unconditional love found in Christ, becomes a transformative force, offering solace and redemption in the face of anxiety. This is one of the key messages of Scripture. Alan also shares with us the practice of embodying God's presence and cultivating "little virtues" such as humility, patience, gentleness, dependence, and surrender. He tells us about learning patience in the chaos of Southern California traffic, reminding us that it's the simple things that steer us towards a peaceful life, even when the world seems to have gone upside down. This underscores the significance of relinquishing the incessant pursuit of materialistic and ambitious goals in favor of humility and grace.

Scripture makes clear the importance of faith, imagination, and embracing an "unhurried influence." Rattling through life at top speed isn't the secret to peace. Alan’s prayer for the audience to grow in unhurried influence is an open invitation to take the scenic route, savouring the moments, and stepping into a life ruled by peace, grace, and gentleness. So, as you sail away from this episode, remember - peace isn't found in the rush-rush of everyday life, but in the sweet, steady rhythm of grace in Christ Jesus.

MORE ABOUT ALAN FADLING

Alan serves as a frequent speaker, consultant and retreat leader with local churches and national organizations such as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Halftime Institute, Apprentice Institute, Saddleback Church, and Open Doors International. He speaks from the intersection of spiritual formation and leadership, with content that is approachable, usable and transferable.

Alan Fadling (M. Div., Fuller Theological Seminary) is President and Founder of Unhurried Living, Inc. in Mission Viejo, CA, inspiring people to rest deeper, live fuller and lead better. He speaks and consults internationally, as well as nationally with organizations such as Saddleback Church, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Cru, Halftime Institute, Apprentice Institute and Open Doors International. He is the award-winning author of An Unhurried Life (IVP 2013), honored with a Christianity Today Award of Merit in spirituality, and An Unhurried Leader (IVP 2017). He is a trained spiritual director. He lives in Mission Viejo, California with his wife, Gem, and their family.

https://www.unhurriedliving.com/alan

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