“Be still, and know that I am God.”
If I’m honest, there are days when my schedule becomes my security blanket. If I can just keep moving, keep checking boxes, keep doing something… maybe I won’t have to face the quiet. But I’ve learned that busyness can be a mask—a way of keeping control when what God is really asking for is surrender.
Slowing down isn’t always about physical rest. Sometimes it’s the spiritual act of saying, I trust You enough to stop striving.
Busyness isn’t always bad. Many of the things filling our days are good: caring for family, serving at church, showing up for work, making meals, investing in relationships. But when we never slow down, we begin to believe the lie that it all depends on us.
In A Pace of Grace, I share how anxiety often crept back into my life after seasons of peace—not because my faith was gone, but because my trust had been replaced by a need to manage and control. The cure wasn’t “doing less” for the sake of a lighter calendar. The cure was surrender—letting God set the pace of my soul.
Stopping can feel scary. Stillness can feel unproductive. When we slow down, we face our fears, our doubts, and our unanswered questions. And yet, that’s exactly where God meets us.
Surrender often starts in the stillness. When the noise dies down, we finally make space for God’s voice to rise above our own.
A Personal Story:
Not long ago, I sensed the Lord asking me to take a full day off—no meetings, no emails, no projects—just rest. Everything in me resisted. What about the to-do list? What about the deadlines? What about the people waiting on me?
But that day became a turning point. I sat with my Bible, took a walk, journaled my prayers, and—most importantly—listened. No lightning-bolt answers came, but I ended the day with an unshakable peace. That’s when I realized: sometimes the miracle isn’t in what God says, but in the calm He brings when we finally sit still long enough to notice His presence.
Practical Ways to Slow Down in a Busy Season:
Schedule a “blank space” hour each week where nothing is planned—just listen and be still.
Practice Sabbath in the way your season allows—even if it’s a few hours instead of a whole day.
Start your day with Scripture before screens—let God’s voice be the first you hear.
Take a prayer walk—leave your phone behind and talk with God as you move.
End your day in gratitude—reflect on where you saw God at work.
Where have you been filling your days so full that God can barely get a word in? What’s one way you can create margin this week as an act of trust?
If this post spoke to you, I’d love to hear how you’re slowing down this week—share in the comments so we can encourage each other. And if you need help creating space for God, grab my free guide: “Prayers of Surrender to Start Your Day.” [Get it Here]
P.S. A Little Sneak Peek:
This post was inspired by my upcoming book, A Pace of Grace: Steadying Your Spirit When Life Feels Messy, releasing March 2026. In it, I unpack what I call Still Grace—the peace and contentment that come when we stop striving and trust God’s timing. If you’ve enjoyed today’s encouragement, you’ll love the deeper rhythms and stories I share in the book. Consider this your early invitation to walk with me toward a steadier spirit.