When restlessness and anxiety rise within us, we can take a deep breath and remember the words “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
If I had been asked what I missed most while on my mission, my answer might have been surprising: Google. I’m naturally curious, so whenever a question crosses my mind, I feel the urge to know the answer immediately.
In today’s world, it’s second nature to expect instant answers. Waiting has become a thing of the past. While quick answers can be useful, living in the fast lane often fuels anxiety, restlessness, and even a sense of disconnection from our Heavenly Father.
That’s why I was struck by the article “Feel Disconnected? Try Slowing Down” by Charlotte Larcabal. She reminds us that the timeline we’ve come to expect for “earthly” answers doesn’t apply to spiritual answers—nor should it. Spiritual understanding takes time. A shallow, distracted approach to spirituality won’t yield a deeper connection with our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.
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As Larcabal explains, “To come to know God and to connect with the divine, permeating knowledge I was craving, I needed to slow down and be still.” Taking time to pause, ponder, pray, and “be still” is essential to truly knowing Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and receiving meaningful guidance. When we deliberately slow down, we notice the small impressions that might otherwise be drowned out by the noise and distraction so common in our lives.
So what does this mean for us today? It means resisting the urge to fill every empty moment with scrolling or searching. Instead, we can pause. We can breathe. We can pray. Most importantly, we can make room for the Spirit.
When I feel restless, anxious, and spiritually adrift, Christ invites me to be still. I have found that there are many ways to do that. Slow down. Take a walk without a phone. Spend a few quiet minutes in the scriptures. Or simply sit and listen for the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. As the Lord has promised, when we take time to “be still,” we truly can “know that [he is] God” (Psalm 46:10).
Read Charlotte Larcabal’s original article “Feel Disconnected? Try Slowing Down” to learn about the importance of stillness in receiving spiritual revelation.
Source: ChurchofJesusChrist.org
—Elizabeth Reynolds, Latter-day Saint Insights
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Find more insights
Learn more about slowing down and refocusing on the most important things in President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s address “Of Things That Matter Most.”
Read more about building a connection with Christ in Elder David A. Bednar’s address “Be Still, and Know That I Am God.”