Beyond the Silence: Reclaiming the True Meaning of "Be Still"

Does "Be Still" Just Mean Sitting in Quiet Meditation?

While modern culture associates stillness with quiet meditation, the biblical command in Psalm 46:10 carries a much deeper meaning. In Hebrew, the word for "Be Still" is raphah. In this context, it doesn't just mean to sit in silence; it is an active command to "stop your busyness" or "drop your weapons".

I am a perpetual doer. Sitting still is hard for me. Definitely stopping my busyness is hard for me. Drop my weapons … don’t even get me started on how I am a problem solver. Handing my issues over to someone else is not in my DNA. That simple command to Be Still is so hard.

What Are the "Weapons" I Need to Drop to Find Peace?

For many of us, our "weapons" are actually our worries. We try to quiet our minds, but we fail to let go of the "weapons" of anxiety, over-scheduling, and the need to solve every problem ourselves. True stillness happens when we relax the body—like dropping your hands to your sides and letting your shoulders down—to allow God to give peace to our souls.

In 2026, anxiety is ramped. Actually, 1 in 5, approximately 19.1% of US adults, have experienced anxiety disorder in the past year. This is a staggering 207% increase over the last 10 years.

Globally over 300 million people are affected by anxiety. That is a staggering number. It makes it the most common mental health condition in the world.

If you’re a woman you are 9.1% more likely to report anxiety. Is that because as women we have more anxiety or is it because we are more apt to talk about it? I honestly, don’t know, but I know plenty of men who suffer from anxiety, including my husband and son.

It begs the question. Why? Why are so many people suffering from anxiety? Why is it getting increasingly worse?

According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Healthy Minds Poll for 2026, the top sources of “mental noise” are:

• 59% stated Personal Finance as the leading cause of daily worry.

• 53% were uncertain of their future.

• 49% were anxious about current events, due to the constant stream of information contributing to “Mental Fog”.

What adds to the mental fog is the gap in treatment. Roughly 1 in 4 people go without any form of treatment. For some, it’s a lack of accessibility. But for others, like my husband, it has become a normal part of life. For Chris, it was nearly 8 years into our marriage before he realized he was in a constant state of fight-or-flight causing constant anxiety. It was so normal for him that he had no idea he had a problem.

Mental Fog and anxiety can lead to compounded issues, such as marriage issues, depression, work burnout, and even spiritual exhaustion.

How Can I Practice Stillness if I Don’t Feel "Creative"?

Creativity is a gift from God given to everyone, not just professional artists. In Exodus, God filled workers with His Spirit to engage in a wide range of crafts, from woodworking to weaving. Even a mathematician uses creativity to solve problems.

Next time you feel overwhelmed, deep in mental fog, or feeling anxious, try something new. Instead of focusing on the problem, trying to find a solution, or ignoring it. Instead, turn your attention away from your problems and engage in a repetitive, rhythmic activity like coloring or shading, which sends a signal to your brain that there is no immediate threat.

In 2016, a study published in the journal Art Therapy proved that engaging in a creative activity can lower your cortisol levels. Cortisol is a vital steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands. This gland is the primary manager of your stress levels, blood pressure, and immune function. Cortisol levels rise in high-stress situations to manage your fight or flight response.

In this study, researchers measured cortisol in 39 adult participants after 45 minutes of art-making. 75% of participants showed a significant drop in cortisol levels. Crucially, the study found that prior experience did not matter; the act of creating itself triggers the physiological calm.

Let’s bring this to something you’ve probably already done. Have you ever been in a meeting, seminar, or class and mindlessly doodled on your paper? It’s crazy looking back, did you process what was being said? Of course you did. Actually, it probably made it easier to focus on what was being said. Your mind wandered less and you cleared your mind to intake the information better.

How Can I Make Spiritual Stillness a Sustainable Habit?

The goal of a stillness ritual is "observation over information"—it’s not about memorizing facts, but about seeing beauty and slowing down to breathe and letting go of the weapons overtaking your daily life.

• Consistency: Choose a consistent time, like a morning ritual or before bed, to make the practice sustainable.

• Simplicity: Keep your supplies simple—colored pencils, a pen, and a humble heart.

• Messy Grace: If you miss a day, don't give up; build self-grace into your process.

Whether you choose to doodle, draw, write, or color making it a daily practice; even for 10 minutes, your mind fog will lift, your spiritual exhaustion will subside and your relationship with God will grow.

If you need guidance, my 52-week meditation journal, Rooted and Blooming, will guide you through scripture and creative meditation as a daily practice.

Whether you are using Rooted and Blooming or your own journal, I challenge you to a 14-day path:

1. Days 1–7: Lean into the scripture. What does it mean? How does it tie to your life?

2. Days 8–14: Reflect on how your perspective has evolved after a full week of focus.