Have you ever sat and tried to just be? I am not talking about sitting on your phone, reading a book, watching a movie, etc.

The type of stillness I want you to take a moment to imagine is filled with a beauty and peace that exceeds every other self-care form that exists.

This stillness cannot be bought, learned, or wrapped in some meditation video.

This stillness cannot come from what we eat, what we accomplish, or even who we are with.

This stillness is found by resting at the feet of God.

For the longest time, I tried so hard to find the peace within myself. I attempted to curate the best life, rid of any stressors. I attempted any means I could in order to fight the battle raging inside of me. With anxiety and depression on the rise, it is vital that we understand the role God plays in all of our brokenness.

Every day I woke up, I would actively search within myself for the strength to fight the mental battle I had upon me for that day. It wasn’t until I was at my lowest when God gently reminded me of His truth.

God outlined for us what we were called to do whenever obstacles and hardships came our way many different times in the bible:

Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Exodus 14:14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Psalm 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Psalm 62:5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

What is one thing all of these verses have in common? Be. Still. Be still and know that I am Lord. Wait patiently for the Lord.

Being still is not something that comes naturally to human beings. We are told from a young age that busyness and success go hand-in-hand. We are taught to worry about everything because you never know what might happen to that loved one, that job, those finances, etc. We are taught to rely solely on ourselves and we are taught that if we do not have control over everything in our lives, things will go badly for us.

However, Jesus knew his creation before we were even a thought in our mothers minds. He knew that we would have these obstacles thrown at us. He gave us this scripture to remind us what we are, and who He is.

Stillness found in Him brings hope. It brings peace. It brings strength. It brings assurance and comfort in knowing that we are not responsible for fighting the battles that come to our minds. God is fighting for us, we just need to be still and know that every battle he has faced, He has won. God has victory and dominion over our entire being, including our minds. Isn’t that the most beautiful thing? We weren’t created to face this life alone. We were never created to fight these battles with only the strength we can muster. We are humans in need of our Savior. The best part is, we already know the outcome. God is victorious and He will be victorious over any mental challenge you are facing. Rest in that beautiful assurance. When you feel overwhelmed, when you feel like things will never get better, when you feel like giving up, remember there is no battle to be fought when the King of the Universe is fighting on your side and on your behalf. Be still. Rest in knowing who claims the victory over darkness.

Does that mean that it is easy or that your mental illness will suddenly vanish? It may immediately or it may take time. But what is most important is that our focus is shifted from “what can I do” to “what He will do”. Be patient and wait on the Lord. You only need to be still. Find peace in knowing that God has a hope and future planned for you.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.