Be Still and Know

Most of us remember being told to “be still and be quiet” as kids. Annoying, but we have to admit it’s needed sometimes.

In fact, “being still and being quiet” isn’t just for kids. Our mental health and spiritual well-being can suffer without it.

For centuries, Christians have practiced quiet and stillness as a kind of prayer that emphasizes listening to God. Neuroscience shows that our brains benefit from that kind of simple, quiet attention. With practice it decreases symptoms of anxiety and depression.

How? Take a few minutes. Sit still. Pay attention to your body’s restlessness and choose stillness again, as needed. Quiet your mind. Pay attention to a simple prayer or Scripture verse as you breathe deeply. If your mind wanders, no problem. Just bring it back to that prayer or verse.

With practice, we might come to understand what the Scripture “be still and know that I am God” really means.

We might discover a mental health superpower in this over-stimulated age.

We might even show our kids how to “be still and be quiet” one day and not just tell them to.