The sun began its slow descent below the edge of the field. From our cover in a ditch, the tufts of plants around us began to take on an orange-hued glow. Aside from the occasional squirrel’s chatter or breeze through the winter wheat, the whole earth seemed still. My eyes scanned the tree line in front of us for movement, but the only sign of life was the quiet breathing of my husband beside me. Although the point of our excursion was to add some venison to our freezer, I was not disappointed by the lack of deer. I inhaled more deeply than I had in some time, relishing the quiet beauty around us. Glancing over to my fellow hunter, I whispered, “This is the quietest my life has been since the baby was born. I don’t know the last time I was able to be this still.”
Stillness is increasingly difficult to find in our modern culture. We always face another task to accomplish, conversation to carry on, or notification to check. Even when we find those rare pockets of peace within our hectic days, we still must focus on calming the frantic pace of our own minds or settling the anxieties or emotions within us. The idea of inner stillness or a peaceful, quiet life sounds pleasant but idealistic, lovely but unattainable. Is this another item for our ever-expanding to-do lists? Should we pencil “search for stillness” into our planners?
No, but if we want to find a life that exemplifies this sort of peaceful living, we need to take a careful look at how we structure our days.
Why Is Stillness Hard to Find?
Life today is often busy, cluttered, and noisy. Our society is filled with modern comforts and conveniences. Yet we still find ourselves hard-pressed to find time for even a fraction of the still and quiet moments enjoyed by our ancestors who made do without dishwashers, washing machines, or even indoor plumbing. Should we not, with all our modern gadgets, be able to rest in ways about which previous generations only dreamed? In her recent book Old Fashioned on Purpose, Jill Winger explains, “As progress was solving many of our long-held problems, it was simultaneously creating a host of new ones. It would seem the easier our lives have gotten, the unhappier we’ve become.”
How can this be?
Several factors are at play. First, we have been convinced we need more things to feel satisfied. Consumerism has led many to believe happiness is found in more, not less. With the acquisition of things comes greater spending and longer working hours. The rise of social media has added another layer of complexity. It is no longer enough to have the nicest things; we must show others we live the nicest life. We may be tempted to exchange a quiet, simple life for a faster-paced, activity-filled one that looks better on paper, or at least on Instagram. As a result, we often forfeit opportunities for stillness when they arise, even in a busy life, thinking we should be doing something more productive or checking in on what others are doing.
This tendency leads to the second barrier to stillness in our modern world. We have become far too easily distracted. Some distraction may be due to human limitations, but much of our distractibility today is enhanced by an information overload. Recognizing this tendency toward distraction, companies create technologies and products that capitalize on this weakness. In the process, they knowingly intensify the problem. Our focus and attention have become currency, and some apps can quickly bankrupt us.
Moments of stillness are hard to find because, in our noisy, distraction-filled world, it is much easier to scroll through email or social media, sing along to a curated playlist, or binge-watch the latest trending Netflix special than to sit in silence. Why? Because stillness is boring, and if there is one thing we have forgotten how to tolerate, it is boredom.
So, we push on, cramming our schedules with work tasks and extracurricular activities, and filling any free time left with scrolling and screen time. As a result, we become anxious, unfocused individuals who find stillness hard to obtain and, when given opportunities to practice it, even more difficult to enjoy.
Do We Really Need to Be Still?
With all these barriers to stillness, it might be easy to question the need for consistent moments of quiet in the first place. Is it important to seek stillness, if it means a slower-paced, simpler life? In a word, yes. While stillness itself may not be a fruit of the Spirit per se, it is an implication of the development of several fruits listed in Galatians 5. Let’s look at some of them and consider how seeking stillness in our lives can be an indicator of and a proving ground for these spiritual virtues.
Stillness indicates a strong faith in God’s sovereign power. An unwillingness to take time for stillness is often an indication of a weak or underdeveloped faith in God and His sovereignty. We may say we believe God is omnipotent and holds all things together. However, our lives tell another story, one in which we play both author and protagonist. We may wear so many hats because we have come to believe we are the only ones capable of wearing them. Yet if we are willing to reduce our daily load and practice seeking simplicity and stillness in our lives, we display a faith in God’s power to sustain us and all the various endeavors we pursue. We show our passive obedience in recognizing our finite, imperfect nature in comparison to His ability to do all things well. In a daily practice of being still, we also actively obey His commands to spend time in His presence, learning of Him and His better ways.
Stillness enables us to practice peaceful living even in busier seasons. We may not always be in a season of life that allows for an hour of quiet, peaceful time with the Lord or His creation. As the mom of two toddlers, I struggled to squeeze in time to write this article during nap times and before early morning cries interrupt my workflow. During these difficult, stressful times, the practice of stillness is most beneficial. By reducing the opportunities for distraction, embracing boredom, and practicing a simpler lifestyle, we begin to develop rhythms of life that allow for the work of the Spirit to continue producing peaceful fruit in us. This inner stillness is accessible despite chaotic seasons.
Stillness gives us the space needed to live out the fruits of the Spirit in our relationships. Human beings were not created for constant motion. We do not hold up well under constant strain. Stillness allows us to decompress from daily stress and reset our minds and bodies to function well for future obligations and endeavors. Without these consistent breaks, we eventually become less-than-ideal versions of ourselves. We find it much more difficult to walk in the Spirit under such conditions. This problem is particularly noticeable in our interactions; if we are not resting well, or if we are moving through life too quickly, we will find it increasingly difficult to be gentle, kind, and loving to our peers and family members. Setting boundaries in our lives enables us to ensure we spend necessary time at rest.
Stillness matters. But it is not something we will happen upon, especially if we follow the world’s template for life and success. We must say no to things — sometimes good things — to create the margin needed to embrace a life that is still and peaceful. We also must recognize stillness itself will not cure all our anxieties or frustrations. Peace is fully possible only through the Prince of Peace. We can worship Him through acceptance of His boundaries, quiet obedience in the spiritual disciplines, and time taken to experience awe at His handiwork. This sort of stillness does more than provide us with a quiet moment for rest. It sanctifies us. It restores our souls. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
About the Writer: Emily Vickery lives in Pleasant View, Tennessee, with her pastor husband Zach and children Jack and Daisy. She has a B.S. in Psychology from Welch College and an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of the Cumberlands. She works part-time at Welch College in the Institutional Research Office. Learn more: www.welch.edu.
