Stillness…

Stillness is a spiritual discipline and like all disciplines its purpose is to make a space in our lives for the Lord to act. Stillness is not an attitude but rather an intentional determination to make the Lord our only joy and trust that He will give us the desires of our hearts. (Psalm 37:4) Therefore, stillness is not something that happens to us it is something we do. Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10) We need to be like the Psalmist who had to keep telling (commanding, reminding) his soul to bless the Lord. We put ourselves into stillness so that prayer can grow in our hearts.

The stilling of our minds, bodies, and souls is necessary for us to hear God and to know Him and ourselves.

St. John Climacus, the author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent said, “Stillness of the body is the accurate knowledge and management of one’s feelings and perception. Stillness of soul is the accurate knowledge of one’s thoughts and is an unassailable mine. Determined and brave thinking is a friend of stillness.”

from Fr. James Coles’ Scholé