The Bible talks about being still in God’s presence. Just…being quiet with Him.

Be still in the presence of the Lord,
    and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
    or fret about their wicked schemes. (Ps. 37:7 NLT)

Many of us desperately need this kind of quietness after two years of the pandemic and everything associated with it. We’re carrying a significant amount of fear and anxiety, and what we need is quietness with God. Not striving, not trying to fix all our fears, not trying to get through a prayer list—but just being still with Him.  

When we are still with the Lord, we hear Him better and we realize He really is speaking and doing amazing things.

Here are three “days” of being still with God. Consider the following Scriptures and thoughts, and journal what the Holy Spirit says to you as you practice being still and quiet with Him.

Journaling Day 1

He is working to turn your weakness into strength.

Do you feel drained and exhausted? Are you aware of your fears in a new way?

It doesn’t feel great, but that’s actually not a bad position to be in. The Lord is very good at turning weaknesses into strength. Read Hebrews 11:32–34 with your fear and anxiety in mind:

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. (NIV)

Where are you feeling “weak”? Take that area to the Lord and choose to trust Him with it. Set it in His faithful hands, and then think and act like it really is there. He can take care of this thing for you.

Practice being still with God. Sit with the Holy Spirit in a quiet place. Be still with Him and write down anything He shows you. Let Him have all your fears and worries.

Journaling Day 2

It’s His job to keep you safe. You don’t have to do it yourself.

Anxiety gets worse when we believe it’s up to us to keep ourselves safe.

If we’re scared of sickness and disease, we might go to extreme lengths to keep ourselves protected. If we’re scared of making a mistake in a dating relationship, we might keep our significant other at a distance, just in case. If we’re scared of falling out of favor with God, we might react by making sure we obey all the rules and don’t “bother” Him in any way.

But the truth is, we are not a source of annoyance to our Father. He goes out of His way to take care of us, and He is the One who keeps us safe. Psalm 54:4 is true for you and whatever fear you are wrestling with today:

But God is my helper.
    The Lord keeps me alive! (NLT)

Where are you fixated on keeping yourself safe today? Where do you need to trust the Lord more? What does the Lord want you to know about that fear and His ability to keep you safe? Talk to Him about these things.

Practice being still with God. Sit with the Holy Spirit in a quiet place. Be still with Him and write down anything He says. Let Him have all your fears and worries. What does “stillness” feel like for you?

Journaling Day 3

Practice putting your attention on Jesus instead of the scary things.

The world is filled with events and situations we could be afraid of, but there is only one thing we actually need to “fear.” Only one Power out there is worthy of our fear. Fearing the Lord is a precious, holy, beautiful act of reverence and worship. In many ways, it looks like what Jesus said to Martha in Luke 10:41–42: 

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (ESV) 

Only one thing is worthy of our attention. Only one thing is actually necessary, and we can say “no” to all the other things in order to say “yes” to Him.

You are not to fear what they fear nor be in dread of it.
It is the Lord of hosts whom you are to regard as holy and awesome.
He shall be your [source of] fear,
He shall be your [source of] dread [not man].
Then He shall be a sanctuary [a sacred, indestructible shelter for those who fear and trust Him]. (Isa. 8:12–14 AMP)

Ask the Lord if you are focused on something He doesn’t want you to focus on right now. Maybe it’s something in your relationship, or maybe you’re worried about a decision your local or national government is making. Listen to what He says about this thing, and ask Him where He wants you to put your attention.

Practice being still with God. Sit with the Holy Spirit in a quiet place. Be still with Him and write down what You sense He says to your heart. Just spend time with Him in this place, without an agenda. Let Him have all your fears and worries. 

How is God ministering to you this week?

What is He doing in your life? What did He whisper to your heart as you journaled with Him? How is He making you fearless? We would love to hear about it! Please comment below.

Child of God, a day is coming when you will laugh at your fears. Get ready—because it’s going to happen.

Make your plans! But they will never succeed. Talk all you want to! But it is all useless, because God is with us. (Isa. 8:10 GNT)