Life Skills
Be Still? In This World? How?
In a world of commotion, stillness can be hard to fathom. But it’s exactly what we need.
I often feel pressure to do more.
Between navigating commitments with school and work, spending time with friends and family, finding time for hobbies and fitness, and fulfilling Church callings, there are a lot of good things competing for my time and attention.
And because these things are good, I want to fit them all in. But the world’s incessant call for more often leaves me feeling depleted.
With loud voices from social media, constant communication on smartphones, and the hustle and bustle of errands and tasks, I feel overwhelmed by the commotion in my life.
But when the world demands “more, more, more!” Heavenly Father invites me to “be still, and know that [He is] God” (Psalm 46:10).
Where do I find stillness in a world that doesn’t seem to stop?
A Break from the World
When I decided to become a temple worker, it felt like it would be another good thing to do. What I didn’t realize was that it would actually be a time set aside for me to stop. The quiet, still service in the temple contrasted starkly against the busyness of my everyday life.
No matter how stressed I was or what I had on my to-do list, when it was time for my shift on Tuesday nights, I put everything aside for a few hours and spent time in the house of the Lord. The stillness inherent in the temple gave me a break from work, my phone, and the nagging feeling that I should be doing more. I had time to think, to feel, and to connect with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
As I spent more time being still with my Heavenly Father, I found that I felt more connected to my true self—to my eternal nature and my divine potential. President Russell M. Nelson taught, “Time in the temple will help you to think celestial and to catch a vision of who you really are, who you can become, and the kind of life you can have forever.”
When I finished my shift each week, I returned to my daily tasks with a refreshed perspective. The world’s demanding call for “more” seemed to quiet. I knew who I was and who I wanted to become, and that knowledge helped me prioritize my time.
Finding Times and Places to Be Still
My experience in the temple helped me look for more ways the gospel invites me to stop and be still. As Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified, “The Lord provides both sacred times and holy places to help us experience and learn about [the] inner stillness of our souls.”
Consider the following ways you can feel more stillness in sacred times and places:
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Be aware of times when your mind wanders while taking the sacrament, and return your focus to the Savior.
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Spend more time listening and pondering during personal prayers.
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Recognize that scripture study is about connecting with Heavenly Father though His word, rather than reading a set number of verses or chapters.
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Be present while ministering and spending time with loved ones.
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Make your home a sacred place.
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Think about the person you are doing proxy work for while attending the temple.
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Look for opportunities to listen to the Spirit and be still in Relief Society and elders quorum meetings.
Elder Bednar further explained, “The principal purposes of sacred time and holy places are exactly the same: to repeatedly focus our attention upon Heavenly Father and His plan, the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement, the edifying power of the Holy Ghost, and the promises associated with the sacred ordinances and covenants of the Savior’s restored gospel.”
As I try to practice stillness, my mind still wanders sometimes, and I find myself reaching for my phone or thinking about something else. But when this happens, I can be compassionate with myself and consistently return my attention to Heavenly Father and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Though the world will always be demanding “more,” we can choose to live by the words of the Savior when He calmed the stormy sea: “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39).