“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10, ESV)
Stillness sounds simple, but in the digital age, it often feels impossible. Noise is always near. From morning until night, the world offers distractions that never stop. Silence has become a stranger. And when stillness disappears, so does the space where God meets His people.
The psalmist does not invite reflection. He commands stillness. Be still, and know. Not just a quiet room, but a quiet heart. Not just silence but surrender. Stillness reminds us that we are not God, and we do not carry the world. When people stop moving, striving, and performing, they begin to remember who rules over everything. And they begin to see who they are without their noise.
Jesus exemplifies this rhythm. Mark writes that He rose early, while it was still dark, and withdrew to a desolate place to pray. He did this even when crowds waited for Him. He did not let urgency drive Him. He let the Father lead Him. His time alone was not a break from ministry. It was the fuel for it.
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
Paul urged the Thessalonians to aspire to live quietly. That instruction stands out in a culture that idolizes attention. Today’s world insists that silence is weakness. People should speak, post, reply, and perform. However, the quiet life still holds value. It cultivates presence. It sharpens listening. It keeps the soul open to what matters.
“and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,” (1 Thessalonians 4:11)
Discipleship does not flourish in noise. Spiritual formation requires stillness. But that stillness must be chosen. It will not appear on its own. Most people have formed habits that push against it. Devices now fill every pause. Feeds refresh endlessly. People do not even need to think about opening their phones. Their hands reach automatically, like a reflex. That kind of attention training shapes the soul. It turns moments of quiet into gaps that must be filled. And the voice of God gets drowned out.
The loss of stillness does not only create fatigue. It creates confusion. Disciples cannot discern God’s voice while being pulled in ten directions. They cannot reflect on Scripture while reacting to every buzz. They cannot pray deeply while scrolling between headlines and arguments. The digital world has not just made people restless. It has made them afraid of silence. Many do not know what they will find in quiet. But Jesus calls them anyway.
“Come to Me,” He said, “all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” He did not offer escape through entertainment. He offered His presence. But His presence cannot be accessed on the run. It requires stopping. He said, “Learn from Me.” Learning demands attention. “You will find rest for your souls.” Rest must be received. It cannot be consumed like content. It must be practiced.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”” (Matthew 11:28–30)
Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote that modern people have learned how to conquer space, but forgotten how to sanctify time. In his view, time (not things) is where holiness begins. For Heschel, the Sabbath is not simply a day off. It is a sanctuary in time. A temple not made of brick and mortar, but of hours and intention.
To stop, be still, and delight in God are not signs of laziness. They are acts of resistance. Heschel described Sabbath rest as a return to the pattern of creation, a foretaste of eternity, and a declaration that the world does not belong to us. It is not rest for the sake of productivity. It is rest for the sake of presence. Sabbath, he said, “is not an interlude but the climax of living.”1
This truth speaks directly to today’s discipleship challenge. The digital world promises knowledge, access, and control. But the more it offers, the less people seem to hold on to peace. Their minds stay full, but their hearts remain tired. They learn facts but forget wisdom. They stay connected, but feel alone. And they keep running, hoping to find something solid. Stillness exposes the lie. It reminds them that God has already given what matters most. They only need to stop long enough to receive it.
Disciples need to build a rhythm of stillness into their lives. This is not just about rest. It is about formation. It is about choosing what will shape the soul. A life that never slows down will never grow deep. A disciple who cannot sit with God in silence will never learn how to walk with Him in faith. Scripture does not say that peace comes from knowing more or doing more. It says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Stillness brings knowledge. It brings awareness. It brings transformation.
God will be exalted among the nations and in the earth. He does not need a platform or a feed. He calls His people to stillness, not because He is hard to find but because they are too distracted to see Him. He waits, not with impatience but with grace.
Turn off the noise. Step into the quiet. Lay aside the digital habits that fill the mind and numb the heart. Set aside time for silence. Learn the rhythm of stillness. It may feel unfamiliar at first, but it is the ground where disciples grow.
~PW 🌮🛶
Sources:
Heschel, A. J. (1951). The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man. New York: Farrar, Straus and Young.
- Abraham Joshua Heschel’s The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man offers a theological and poetic vision of sacred time. He contrasts the modern obsession with space, achievement, and things with the biblical emphasis on time, holiness, and rest. For Heschel, the Sabbath is not merely a cessation from labor, but a sanctuary in time that restores identity, celebrates God’s rule, and anticipates eternity. Rooted in Jewish tradition but rich with spiritual insight for all, the book critiques modernity’s constant motion and invites people to remember God by remembering the rhythm of creation. ↩︎
Phillip W. Martin 
Leave a comment