Known & Loved

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” Psalm 46:10

Time has never flown faster. Thanks to the introduction of technology, life has indeed sped up drastically. No need to sit down and write a letter, mail it by snail-mail, and wait however long it takes to receive a reply. As I recently learned, even email is becoming a thing of the past! Maps are archaic. Shopping time has been shaved by hours and replaced by a click. You lost something on a computer? Ask AI and it will lead you right to the source within seconds. Missed a meeting (purposefully or accidentally)? Ask AI and it will give you a recap easily without you having to watch even a second of the recording.

Distractions lie at every corner. Though we have been blessed by powerful technology that can save us loads of time, life still seems to fill up more and more by the minute. The enemy plants the excuse in our minds that we simply do not have enough time in the day to “waste” in stillness, asking God for His blessing and guidance. Instead we run out of the door, either forgetting He wants to walk with us and direct our steps, or letting Him trail far behind us and spending our time dashing ahead and then running back in a panic like a spiritual yo-yo. But is this really true efficiency and strength? Do we ever take the time to simply stop and think?

If you’ve made it this far, maybe you’re like me. You’ve realized it’s time to return to the true Source of time, strength, and peace. This journey led me to study the blessings found in stillness. And what I’ve discovered is too powerful not to share.

Quietness & Stillness 🤫

Quietness and stillness go together. I can be still, while filling my mind with blaring music, racing thoughts, or endless worries. I can be quiet, while running around chasing my to-do list that honestly never ends.

Quietness is when the clamor of the world fades, and the environment stops blaring into our lives. Stillness is the state of our internal being, mental and physical. It is a deep sense of peace and a state of waiting and trust – an acknowledgement of a Presence far greater than our own. Stillness is the calm within, even as the world reels around us. That’s why God encourages us to be quiet and still. To quiet the world around us and our racing thoughts and worries, and just take time to rest and be still in His Presence.

An article from Healthline¹ notes that silence can improve your health in ways like: “Lowering blood pressure, improving concentration and focus, calming racing thoughts, stimulating brain growth, reducing cortisol (the stress hormone), stimulating creativity, improving insomnia, and encouraging mindfulness.”

Science confirms what Scripture has always known: stillness heals.

“Be Still!” ⏳

Maybe you’ve been through a tough situation, and anger tempts you to lash out. But Psalm 4:4 gently reminds us: “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.“

Maybe you’re facing a difficult exam—one you’ve studied hard for, yet confusion still clouds your mind. Or perhaps your university threatens to drop you from your hard-earned program because you won’t compromise your convictions by attending a class during Sabbath hours. In moments like these, when pressure mounts and options seem unfair, Exodus 14:14 whispers a truth we often forget: “The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still.“

Maybe you don’t see a way out of a situation or you’re facing a decision so hard you can’t sleep at night. God promises that He is “good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” And that if we seek Him with all your heart, we will hear that quiet Voice that says “this is the way – walk in it.” He can only speak to us if our souls are quiet enough to hear His Voice.

Maybe you’ve strayed so far from God that you don’t think there is a way back…His promise is that “in repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength..”

Perhaps you’re exhausted – life has gotten the best of you and you don’t think that there will ever be energy and strength enough to keep going. Isaiah 40:31 reads that “they that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings as eagles; they will run, and not be weary; and they will walk, and not faint.”

Maybe you think that there is not enough time in a day to be able to complete everything piling up around you and spending time in quietness would just delay you even more. God calls to you to “Stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes.”

Scripture is filled with precious reminders of the power of quietness. In Luke 5, we see Jesus Himself withdrawing into undisturbed places to pray—choosing solitude over noise and communion over chaos. Job, in his raw honesty, offers this piercing counsel: ‘If you would be altogether silent, for you, that would be wisdom.’ (Job 13:5) It’s not just about holding our tongue or finding a quiet space—it’s about quieting the mind, the heart, and even our surroundings to make space for our Father’s Presence & wisdom.

Psalm 62 echoes this call again and again: Be still. Wait. Trust. In the stillness, we’re reminded that God holds the answers we seek. He is our Refuge, our Rock, our Salvation. When life feels turbulent and uncertain, these verses become anchors—gentle but firm reminders that stillness is not passive. It’s active trust. It’s choosing to believe that God is working, even when we can’t see it.

Bible Experiences 📖

David’s life was anything but smooth. His own family underestimated him, seeing only a shepherd boy. Though anointed as king, he waited years—through exile, betrayal, and danger—before he could actually wear the crown. He was hunted like a criminal, lived in caves, and faced the agony of his own children turning against him. Shall we continue? The list of trials is long and brutal. And yet repeatedly in the book of psalms, David writes of being still before God, of waiting patiently, of crying out and then resting in the assurance that God is working behind the scenes. He held a quiet confidence that God’s plan was unfolding, even when everything around him felt like it was falling apart.

Job had seemingly everything taken away from him in a couple of days, but instead of spending all his time miserably eking out an existence or complaining to everyone around him, he chose to trust and cry out to God all while encouraging his friends. We know the end of his testimony…..God doubled his portions.

Elijah was running for his life. He was completely discouraged, hungry, and exhausted. He watched God work mightily, and yet one word from an evil queen brought him on wild run and led him to ask God to allow him die. But God fed him, provided for his needs, let him rest, and then called to him – in His still, small voice in the quiet of a cave. And Elijah listened and found refreshment and strength to keep going.

What Now? 🤔

So why not us?

Why don’t we take the time to be still awhile? To wait in silence for a word in due season? To take the time to trust even when we can’t see the outcome? To run to Him in the good times and in the times when we seemingly can’t go on anymore? To be still before Him and trust that He will fight our battles? We need to let Him speak in the silence and His promise is that we will be refreshed. What are we waiting for? Our to-do lists will never end. Taste and see. Wait in His presence for a while – and watch how much more you can get done in less time.

“When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God.” We must give ourselves “time to think, to pray, to wait upon God for the renewal of physical, mental, and spiritual power. We need the uplifting influence of His Spirit. Receiving this, we will be quickened by fresh life. The wearied frame and tired brain will be refreshed, the burdened heart will be lightened.” “Amidst the hurrying throng, and the strain of life’s intense activities, he who is thus refreshed, will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. He will receive a new endowment of both physical and mental strength. His life will breathe out a fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach men’s hearts.” ²

“In the midst of this maddening rush, God is speaking. He bids us come apart and commune with Him. ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’” ²

🛤️ Sometimes you must stand still in order to get moving to where God wants us to go. – D. A. McBride

¹https://www.healthline.com/health/mind-body/physical-and-mental-health-benefits-of-silence

²Ending Quotes from: Desire of Ages Pg 363 & Education 260/261