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Thereโs something about being still that feels counterintuitive in a world so wired for hustle. For scrolling. For proving, fixing, and striving. And yet, stillnessโreal stillnessโis often where God does His deepest work.
This has been more than a concept for me latelyโitโs been a personal mandate. A season where doors have closed, answers have paused, and the invitation is simply: Be still. Trust Me.
If youโve ever felt like youโre waiting on God, or like youโre in a holding pattern you didnโt sign up for, youโre not alone. And more importantly, youโre not forgotten.
When the Noise Feels Safer Than the Silence
In society these days being busy is worn like a badge of honor. Our phones keep us company, our calendars validate our worth, and distraction often masquerades as peace. But what if the noise is numbing us to the healing God wants to do?
Stillness isnโt passiveโitโs powerful. In Exodus 14:14, God says, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.โ Stillness can be obedience. It can be surrender. And sometimes, it can be the bravest thing you do.
Iโve felt God pressing me into stillness recently. Not because Iโve mastered peace, but because Iโm prone to idolize motion. Even good thingsโministry, service, goalsโcan become idols if they replace our quiet trust in God. Being still reminds me that I am not in control, and thatโs actually good news.
When Being Still Feels Like Doing Nothing
If youโre like me, youโve probably equated being still with being unproductive. But the spiritual life doesnโt measure success in output. It measures in obedience. In intimacy. In faith.
Psalm 46:10 doesnโt say, “Be still and figure it all out.โ It says, “Be still, and know that I am God.โ Stillness isnโt a voidโitโs an invitation. To know. To remember. To realign with whatโs true.
In todayโs world, thatโs radical. Weโve been taught to brand ourselves, to share every thought, to build our platforms. But what if our first calling isnโt to produce something for Godโbut to be with Him?
Stillness doesnโt always mean inactivity. It might look like:
- Taking a Sabbath from social media.
- Going for a walk without your phone.
- Choosing prayer over panic.
- Sitting in the Word instead of searching for someone elseโs answers.
These small acts are seeds of trust. And they grow fruit we canโt always see right away.
When Stillness Becomes Sacred
Thereโs a sacredness to silence that canโt be explained, only experienced. When we slow down, we often find that God was never far away. He was always nearโbut our souls were too loud to hear Him.
In 1 Kings 19, Elijah didnโt hear God in the wind, the earthquake, or the fireโbut in a still, small voice. The whisper was where the wonder was.
And maybe thatโs where youโll find Him tooโin the stillness of a quiet morning, in the pause between emails, in the tears you cry when no one else sees. He is there.
Letting Go of the Idol of Control
One of the hardest things about trusting God is letting go of our illusion of control. When life feels uncertain, we grasp for clarity. We try to make sense of timelines, expectations, and outcomes. But sometimes, God lovingly blocks our strivingโnot to punish us, but to protect us.
Iโve come to believe that God is less interested in my comfort and more interested in my character. And sometimes, stillness is how He shapes it.
Could it be that this season of stillnessโthis period of waiting or quiet or not knowingโis actually a divine invitation? A reset? A re-rooting in whatโs eternal?
What Stillness Reveals
Being still reveals the things weโve been covering up with activity. The grief we havenโt processed. The fear weโve buried. The dreams weโre afraid to say out loud.
And thatโs okay.
Stillness is where God can begin to do surgery on our souls. Itโs where He binds up the wounds and speaks peace over our panic. Itโs where we learn again that His presence is enough.
Heโs not asking you to have it all figured out. Heโs not disappointed in your doubts. Heโs not afraid of your questions.
Heโs simply saying: Come. Be still. Let Me hold what youโve been trying to carry.
When Youโre Tired of Being Strong
If youโre wearyโmentally, emotionally, spirituallyโyou donโt need another motivational quote. You need rest. You need healing. You need Jesus.
And He offers it. In Matthew 11:28-29, He says, โCome to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me… and you will find rest for your souls.โ
This kind of rest doesnโt come from a vacation. It comes from surrender.
So, if youโre in a season of pauseโฆ if youโre being asked to wait, to trust, to do lessโฆ youโre not behind. Youโre not lazy. Youโre being invited into a holy rest that will renew you from the inside out.
Let go of the pressure. Let go of the timelines. Let go of the guilt.
And be still.
Because in the stillness, youโll find Him waiting.
And that changes everything.
If this resonates with you, share it with someone else who might be in a similar season.
And let me gently remind you: God sees you. Heโs working even when youโre resting. Especially then.
May this be your permission slip to slow down, breathe deep, and trust the One who holds it all.
๐๏ธ
