from M. LISA L. HARKNESS

Peace, Be Still

1  |  He lives to calm the fierce winds and billowing waves in our lives. Recent events in the world, our country, and sometimes even in our families have tried to fill our lives with a ‘raging tempest’. Many of us have found ourselves crying out asking “can’t you see what I’m going through?” “where are you when I need you most?” just as disciples of old in the boat said during the storm. Regardless of the tempest before us, we can look to Christ and be assured that HE LIVES, that He knows the exact storm we are going through...because He Himself has experienced it for us! His love for us is unending and limitless just as His ability to calm our hearts and silence our fears.

2  |  Stillness can help us humbly learn of the Savior's teachings while opening our hearts to the promised personal revelation from the Holy Ghost. Peace and stillness are not one-time events, but rather a lifestyle or series of finding the Prince of Peace in our lives. How would our lives change if we sought out peace and stillness instead of fear and worry? What if we sought the Savior of the world as our first priority instead of trying to face our storms on our own? The adversary doesn’t make it easy for us to find stillness. It can be so hard to find time to meditate and be still, but seeking out these moments with INTENTION is the key to hearing His voice through personal revelation from the Holy Ghost. He’s waiting to talk with you. Be still and listen.

3  |  Faith is attainable not only by acting on the amount of faith we do have but by choosing to believe Him and remembering our divine nature as a Son or Daughter of God. Faith is a choice and faith is action. He is always inviting us to take action: Learn, Come, Believe, Listen, Repent, Love, and Remember. These actions help us to increase in faith and trust in our Savior. I think we also tend to forget the amount of faith these disciples DID have. They had CHOSEN to follow Christ and they were even on the boat WITH Him. They had faith, as do each of us. No matter the amount of faith we think we have, we can cling to the knowledge that each of us are a beloved child of God. Clinging to our covenants and the faith we have requires action, but He knows our hearts and rejoices with us when we act in faith to serve, love, and devote ourselves to Him and those around us.

“Certainly, the Savior of the world understands our mortal limitations, for He teaches us how to feel peace and calm even when the winds blow fiercely around us and billowing waves threaten to sink our hopes.”

LISA. L. HARKNESS

“Even in turbulent times, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is gritty and resilient. It helps us sift through unimportant distractions. It encourages us to keep moving along the covenant path. Faith pushes through discouragement and allows us to face the future with resolve and squared shoulders.”

LISA L. HARKNESS

INVITATION:

Wouldn’t you love to hear the Savior call to your personal tempest “Peace, Be Still”? His invitation is there and waiting as we intentionally seek out moments of stillness. After our last week of intentional prayer, let’s make this week about create space in our days to listen.

First, we must welcome, and allow ourselves to become comfortable with, silence. If this is new to you, maybe you begin with 1 minute of silence today, 2 minutes tomorrow, working your way up to 7 minutes by the end of the week.

This looks like removing all distractions and allowing space for your mind to rest, reset, and tune to heaven's frequency. Don't underestimate how this stillness can serve you—you may not hear something specific in these exact moments, you may not have a revelatory experience, and it may feel awkward or uneventful in the beginning. You're not doing it wrong—you're just practicing. You are training your mind to be still, to come back from wandering thoughts, and to step into the power we ALL have to stop the chaos, noise, “billowing winds” for even just a moment.

There are many other ways to invite stillness into your lives, and we’ll list some here, but it’s most important to find ways that work for you and your personal needs. Pay attention to how your perspective and hope in Christ change while you are intentionally seeking stillness. 

-Set reminders on your phone to take a break from technology

-Try some deep breathing exercises, or guided meditations

-Practice a restorative yoga flow

-Empty your mind by journaling your thoughts

-Watch the sunrise or sunset.

-Go on a walk

AFFIRMATION:

I am at peace even in the storm, for God is at the helm. I am resilient and know the power of my actions and feel His strength in my steps. I am overcoming fear as my path takes shape and His grace propels me out of darkness.

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