“Be Still, and Know That I Am God”

This message from Elder David A. Bednar was one that I very much needed to hear. He spoke of something my mind and spirit are in desperate search of lately, an inner spiritual stillness.

I am in a busy stage of life. And it’s not my favorite. I know some people thrive and love it – but it’s not my thing. I don’t love rushing off to this or that place. With that said, it’s probably good for me in a way because I can be too much of a homebody, too. But it’s not just the hustle and bustle of taking kids to activities or therapies or appointments – my brain just feels like it is always in this intense space of having an endless to do list running through it. It’s exhausting and draining and honestly leaves me feeling like my efforts each day are never enough. (Just to clarify as I was re-reading that – there is actually a LOT that I love about this stage for my family – just not the schedule bursting part of things!)

So the idea of inner spiritual stillness is really appealing to me! I loved Elder Bednar’s prayer at the beginning, that – “the Holy Ghost will enlighten each of us as we consider a higher and holier dimension of stillness in our lives – an inner spiritual stillness of the soul that enables us to know and remember that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.”

Elder Bednar than spoke of what he believes the Lord meant when He asked us to “be still and know that I am God.” He shared that it “entails much more than simply not talking or not moving…’be still’ may be a way of reminding us to focus upon the Savior unfailingly as the ultimate source of the spiritual stillness of the soul that strengthens us to do and overcome hard things.”

I had an “a-ha” moment during his message. Elder Bednar focused his message on our Savior. I’ve sang the song a million times, “the wise man built his house upon the rock” and I understood the symbolism – but in my mind I was never envisioning THE ROCK, I was envisioning the foundation. This is probably very obvious to everyone else (after all the song says ROCK!) – but this was a new idea for me.

My foundation is completely dependent on me. It’s strength comes from my personal spiritual testimony. But what can make my foundation strong is anchoring it with pins and rods to the ROCK. I believe we do this by all of those Primary answer things, they connect us to Him. And Elder Bednar teaches that covenants anchor ourselves to Him and we “become more grounded, rooted, established, and settled.“

We learn about the inner stillness of our souls by experiencing “sacred times and holy places.” Elder Bednar taught the Sabbath is a sacred time – where we can demonstrate our love for God. Our meetinghouses and the temple are holy places – set apart to serve God. But “our homes should be the ultimate combination of both sacred time and holy place wherein individuals and families can “be still.” Oh how I love that. I want my home to be a place like that. There are beautiful glimpses of it that I see in our home, but I hope to make it more of a constant.

One phrase that Elder Bednar said over and over again in his message was this: that “we can be still and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is Our Savior.” I think he is trying to teach something here. These eternal truths anchor us and bring true and lasting peace. They will bring that inner stillness that I think so many of us are searching for in our fast-paced, distracting, and chaotic world.

Promptings

I want to build my foundation on the “rock” of Jesus Christ and develop an individual and spiritual stillness of my soul.

• “Be Still” = Focusing on the Savior unfailingly as the ultimate source of spiritual stillness
• Every time I remember and renew sacred covenants, I more firmly anchor myself to the “rock” of Jesus Christ
• The Sabbath, the temple, and my home should combine to help me experience inner stilness to my soul

Promise

Elder Bednar always ends with a blessing and promise. I love this part. He shared, “As we build the foundation of our lives on the “rock” of Jesus Christ, we can be blessed by the Holy Ghost to receive an individual and spiritual stillness of the soul that enables us to know and remember that God is our Heavenly Father, we are HIs children, Jesus Christ is our Savior, and we can be blessed to do and overcome hard things.”

Highlights

“I pray the Holy Ghost will enlighten each of us as we consider a higher and holier dimension of stillness in our lives – an inner spiritual stillness of the soul that enables us to know and remember that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

“Be still and know that I am God.”

I believe that Lord’s admonition to “be still” entails much more than simply not talking or not moving. Perhaps His intent is for us to remember and rely upon Him and His power “at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in.” Thus, “be still” may be a way of reminding us to focus upon the Savior unfailingly as the ultimate source of the spiritual stillness of the soul that strengths us to do and overcome hard things.

True faith is always focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ – in Him as the Divine and Only Begotten Son of the Eternal Father and on Him and the redemptive mission He fulfilled.

Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, our Mediator, and our Advocate with the Eternal Father and the rock upon which we should build the spiritual foundation of our lives.

The symbolism of Christ as the “rock” upon whom we should build the foundation of our lives is most instructive…we are admonished to build our personal spiritual foundation upon Him.

The foundation of our lives must be connected to the rock of Christ if we are to remain firm and steadfast. The sacred covenants and ordinances of the Savior’s restored gospel can be compared to the anchor pins and steel rods used to connect a building to bedrock. Every time we faithfully receive, review, remember, and renew sacred covenants, our spiritual anchors are secured ever more firmly and steadfastly to the “rock” of Jesus Christ.

We become more grounded, rooted, established, and settled. As the foundation of our lives is built upon the Savior, we are blessed to “be still” – to have a spiritual assurance that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

The Lord provides both sacred times and holy places to help us experience and learn about this inner stillness of our souls.

The Sabbath is God’s day, a sacred time set apart to remember and worship the Father in the name of His Son, to participate in priesthood ordinances, and to receive and renew sacred covenants…On His holy day, our thoughts, actions, and demeanor are signs we give to God and an indicator of our love for Him. Every Sunday, if we will, we can be still and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

If we will, we can “be still” in our holy places of worship and know ever more surely that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

The principal purposes of sacred time and holy places are exactly the same: to repeatedly focus our attention upon Heavenly Father and His plan, the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement, the edifying power of the Holy Ghost, and the promises associated with the sacred ordinances and covenants of the Savior’s restored gospel.

Our home should be the ultimate combination of both sacred time and holy place wherein individuals and families can “be still” and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior. Leaving our homes to worship on the Sabbath and in the house of the Lord certainly is essential. But only as we return to our homes with the spiritual perspective and strength obtained in those holy places and activities can we then sustain our focus upon the primary purposes of mortal life and overcome the temptations so prevalent in our fallen world.

Our ongoing Sabbath, temple, and home experiences should fortify us with the power of the Holy Ghost, with an ongoing and stronger covenant connection to the Father and the Son, and with “a perfect brightness of hope” in God’s eternal promises.

As home and Church are gather together in one in Christ, we may be troubled on every side, but we will not be distressed in our minds and hearts. We may be perplexed by our circumstances and challenges, but we will not be in despair. We may be persecuted, but we will also recognize that we are never alone. We can receive spiritual strength to become and remain firm, steadfast, and true.

I promise that as we build the foundation of our lives on the “rock” of Jesus Christ, we can be blessed by the Holy Ghost to receive an individual and spiritual stillness of the soul that enables us to know and remember that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, Jesus Christ is our Savior, and we can be blessed to do and overcome hard things.

I joyfully witness that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and the “rock” of our salvation.”

FULL text and video of Elder David A. Bednar’s message can be found HERE.

Other messages from the April 2024 General Conference that I found particularly impactful:

• Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys by President Russell M. Nelson
• Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ by Elder Ulisses Soares
• Jesus Christ at the Center of Our Lives by Elder Jose L. Alonso
• The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ by Elder Dale G. Renlund
• Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ by Sister J. Anette Dennis