The value of stillness

We live in an age of busy schedules and seemingly endless demands. People try to find moments or oases of stillness through various means. Many turn to prayer for calm grounding. For instance, at this moment you have chosen to be still in order to read or listen to this editorial.

Opening up to a quiet fount of spiritual ideas stills thought that is fearful, muddled, or self-focused and leads to healing. Perhaps the psalmist described this type of prayer best when he wrote, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalms 46:10). 

Christ Jesus showed the effect of doing this. At one point he was in a boat with his disciples when a storm blew in. Such was his confidence in the tranquility of ever-present Spirit that he was asleep (see Matthew 8:23–27). Moreover, when his frightened disciples awakened him, the tone of his thought embraced both them and the environment. All became calm—the wind, the waves, and the disciples’ fears were all stilled.