From the last chapter of the book “The Power of Stillness:” And Following a previous post, “A Confusing Place”. . . .
As we’ve outlined here, there may be another way to sit with our faith, even in its most flat, uninspiring, confusing, and painful moments. Imagine if we could better discern when we may be living in a way that predictably diminishes the joy and peace of any given moment (including spiritual ones).
Rather than seeing such a discovery as a disappointment, you might see it a really good news. Think about this: if you realize that your physical health challenges are the predictable result of unrelenting lifestyle patterns, you can do something about those patterns—potentially even to the point of reversing disease. And if you recognize that estrangement in a relationship is the predictable results of the pressures and demands of an unforgiving pace of life, you can similarly do something about that—potentially to the point of restoring intimacy.
Could the same thing be true of a dwindling,deteriorating spiritual life? That has been our experience—and we’ve observed it in the lives of many others as well. Given that, we believe that reviving faith may sometimes be as easy (or hard) as recalibrating the fundamental pace of our daily lives in a way that allows us to rediscover the subtle sweetness of a quieter, unhurried existence.
One of our friends stepped away from the Church with her husband years ago, concluding that her covenants were holding them back from finding true “happiness.” After spending years of not finding what they were hoping for, however, they slowly came back. “I finally found a peace I had been searching for the whole time,” she told us. “It took backing away from the screaming of the worlds voices and listening to the voice inside our souls. On the anniversary of our marriage, my husband and I went to the temple for the first time in seven years. I bawled the entire time.
Could it be that, in many cases, people are walking away not simply from the Church or the gospel itself, but instead from an impoverished, depleted experience of the same? If that’s true, how can we better support and minister to individuals who find themselves spiritually sapped and hollowed out (or on the path to getting there soon)?
Hastening the Work by Slowing Down
As we look out at a world increasingly in commotion, we who identify as Saints feel a natural tendency to tend to the needs of others. And so, we rightfully roll up our sleeves and get to work—seeking ways to comfort hearts, lift heads, and serve others as we share the hope of the gospel.
As part of that hope and part of that joy, we would encourage Saints as a community to also share this mindful dimension of what the scriptures call “the rest of the Lord” (Alma 13:6). As the great ancient prophet once taught, “In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15) How we need that strength now!
Thus we see (as the ancient man of solitude Moroni might say today) how great is the wisdom of slowing down a bit—not just to smell the roses but to ponder important questions, to receive His tenderness, and to care for those around us in ways that can happen only with increased attention, gentleness, and quietude. ~Jacob Z. Hess, Carrie L. Skarda, Kyle C. Anderson, Ty R. Mansfield, The Power of Stillness (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2019),195-96
