Why Is It So Hard To Be Still?

Written By Kaley Hollingsworth
Stillness is so hard to come by. I’m the most distracted I’ve ever been, but it felt insurmountable this past season. I knew the enemy was coming for my stillness because I was made aware of how bad it was and was trying to slow down. That’s just how it goes.
Our culture doesn’t help with stillness, either. Our world only rewards us for movement—for progress, hours worked, quotas hit, money made, classes taken, and tasks completed. We even compare minutes spent listening to Spotify at the end of every year. We’re literally competing for who has the noisiest life.
Stillness and silence go hand in hand. It’s like we need our brains to always be in motion, too, so we fill it with noise. But there is good noise—or at least helpful, beneficial noise like worship music, podcasts, audiobooks/audio bible, whatever else you use to grow your spiritual life. All of that is good and helpful, but what if we never turn it off? What if there’s never a moment of true quiet? It feels almost impossible to imagine…
What if your quiet time was actually quiet?
What if your commute was in silence (minus passengers if you have them)?
What if your lunch break wasn’t a TV show or podcast?
Can you even imagine a silent gym session?
What if your bedtime routine was done without music, meditations, or noise machines?
We can’t do it. If we were ever still or silent, we might be able to hear our thoughts, and that’s spooky.
But when we do attempt silence, the spirals we’ve hardwired are on standby to flood our minds. Cue more need for distractions to make us feel better followed by feelings of defeat.
We use noise to numb so we don’t have to face what might be going on inside and so we don’t have to work to find healing.
This has been eye-opening for me because I have more time on my hands in this season of life. Part of me thinks I should be stress-free, distraction-free, and anxiety-free, but it’s been the opposite. The space has allowed for more distractions and negative thoughts to come in.
Because I’ve been putting more effort into my social media as a means to connect with ministry opportunities—I’ve been on my phone a lot. If I’m not careful, actual hours will go by. HOURS. And if I can pull myself away to work on something of substance, my hand will reach for my phone for a dopamine hit after typing one sentence or reading one verse. It’s an addiction, I fear. It’s a problem I’ve created for myself by constantly turning to my phone to feel productive, relevant, in the loop, and connected.

But what I give my attention to is what I value.

And, I have a choice about what I give my attention to.

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

Psalm 46:10

This quick verse is one I’ve had locked in my memory bank since Awanas (IYKYK). Which is helpful when the Spirit needs to bring it to my mind in moments of distraction. But it’s almost become too familiar to me, so I wanted to take a look at the entire Psalm as a refresher.
It starts like this:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1

“Refuge” means shelter, place of hope and trust. Some bible dictionaries say it’s a safe retreat, a place of healing and renewal. It can also be viewed as a stronghold—a place from which we can counter-attack. If God is our refuge and strength, He is both protecting us and fighting for us.
Not only that, He is “a very present help in trouble.”
We don’t have to go searching for Him. He is already near. He is present in our lives. This is what’s available to us, at all times. Not to mention His Word. It’s crazy actually. God’s word has never been more available to us. We can hold it in the palm of our hand in any translation we like for free. And our Bible app can even read it to us, or sing it to us…have you seen that? Just look up the ESV translation in the Bible app and switch the narrator to the Living Water Bible—you won’t be disappointed.
But there is a major Bible illiteracy problem. We don’t know what it says. We don’t spend real time in it. Why do we not want it when it’s so easily accessible at any time of day?
We know that in God’s presence is the fullness of joy (that’s Psalm 16:11). But we pass on joy from time with Jesus for: entertainment, distractions, and diversions because it’s quicker. Joy takes intentional investment. Entertainment is quick, but joy lasts longer. Entertainment fades.
What are we exchanging time for Jesus with? For some of us, it’s sleep, scrolling social media, answering emails, responding to messages, online shopping, household chores, working out, getting ready. For a lot of those things, we don’t even know we’re doing it until 10 minutes have passed. For others, we’ve created a habit of choosing it over time with Jesus.
We all would say that we believe Jesus is better than all these pursuits. We would say He’s even better than all the best things in life, too. But our actions don’t always line up with the thought “Jesus is better.”
My actions don’t always align with my belief that time with Jesus is better. Even when I do have good, solid quiet times, I immediately pick up my phone after. Or I’m constantly rerouting my brain during so I can stay focused.

The truth that I know with all my heart is that time with Jesus is never wasted.

He is ready for me to meet with Him every time, and He’s never not been there. I don’t have to do a bunch of tricks or acts of holiness for Him to speak to me. There are no magic formulas or prayers to unlock His presence. It’s already available to me! He longs for me to sit down with Him, and I never once have walked away empty-handed.
I know I always leave Jesus’ feet fulfilled, satisfied, purposeful, encouraged, and challenged. I never regret doing it, but sometimes it’s a fight to get there. I can so quickly forget the truth when my mind and body are programmed for distraction.
But here’s where it gets even better in Psalm 46:

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.”

Psalm 46:4

This Psalm is very similar to what are called Zion Songs because we are talking about the Kingdom of God.
The river and city here are the New Jerusalem.
The place where God dwells and our future home.
The eternal city we look forward to.

“God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.”

Psalm 46:5

“Her” refers to this city. Unlike earthly Jerusalem, it won’t fall. Not only that, God is in her midst. The cross-references for this verse are so many because of all the times in the Old Testament prophetic books that God tells His people that He is in their midst. In the OT, God was preparing Israel for His plan—His plan to be as close to them as possible. While they had glimpses of Him on mountains, in clouds, pillars of fire, arks and temples, He was going to be even closer.
Another spot this is referenced is one of my favorites:

“The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;

he has cleared away your enemies.

The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;

you shall never again fear evil.

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

‘Fear not, O Zion;

let not your hands grow weak.

The Lord your God is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.’”

Zephaniah 3:15-17

This reality came true in the form of a baby in a manger. It’s what we commemorate during the Advent season as we wait for the King of Israel. He is Immanuel, God with us. He is in our midst. As close as close can be in human skin. That’s how much He desires to be close to you.
We struggle to turn off the noise and distraction to sit with Him. I know it’s hard. It’s a true war for our minds and our attention. But this idea of “with-ness” can also be encouraging.
The reality of our lives is we can’t just sit at Jesus’ feet all day and night. He didn’t design our lives for that. We have purpose and relationship and mission. But He did design us to be with Him. We can meet with God in lots of places. Yes, make intentional, dedicated time to sit in silence, pray, and read His Word. But He isn’t locked to that time and place. He is with you. He goes with you. You didn’t leave Him at home, in your closet, in your study, at your desk, in your chair—wherever you meet with Him. He goes with you.
He shows up in mundane or weird places:
Doctor’s office waiting rooms
Bedtime routines
Work commute
Space between classes
Kitchen sinks
Bathrooms
Bathtubs
Therapists offices
Massage tables
Globo gyms
And these are the places we tend to want to numb and so we miss Him with us. But He is in your midst. He is rejoicing over you. He is quieting you with His love for you. He is singing loudly over you.
The end of the Psalm says:

“Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!”

The Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah”

Psalm 46:10-11

Selah just means to pause and think about that. To find stillness in the presence of God is to know He is with us, He is God, and He is the safest place for you.

What I’m Using:

This is my favorite scent, but I also liked Neroli & Basil.

What I’m Listening To:

  • At The Altar by ELEVATION RHYTHM
  • Overcoming Betrayal Without Getting Bitter by Preston Morrison + Tim Ross

What I’m Reading:

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Kaley Hollingsworth
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