To the christian woman who struggles to “Be Still.”

I have always struggled to be physically still.

If you see me in worship at church, you may notice me swaying as I listen to the sermon or twirling my hair as I take notes.

If you pay close attention in conversation, you may notice I gently sway as I listen to you, if we are standing.

While singing hymns, my husband and I both have a habit of leaning forward and rocking back and forth from the heels of our feet to the tips of our toes.

Swaying + rocking are physiological ways we soothe ourselves.

Many women like me struggle to be “physically still.”

This is because being physically still sometimes sends a message of unsafety to our bodies.

This can be due to past life experiences + perceptions. It can be due to mineral depletion. It can be due to a nervous system stuck in sympathetic mode or a whole host of other things can be at play.

So when we neglect this truth and then open our Bibles and read the words, “Be still and know that I am God,” it can be tempting to feel like we are failing at Christianity when we can’t physically sit still.

But here’s a truth that set me free and I hope it sets you free too.

It’s a truth written in your physiology + in biblical principles in scripture: being still is not a physical position, it is a heart posture towards the Lord.

You can trust in the promises of the Lord, while also moving your body.

You can honor the principle of “being anxious for nothing” and take measures like discharging excess anxious energy by going for a walk + soothe your nervous system by being in nature and observing God’s creation with awe + gratitude.

You can journal or memorize scripture while using a walking desk.

You can listen to your Bible on audible, while moving your body.

Some people find literally “being still” relaxing + soothing, others find it extremely dysregulating and panic provoking.

Failing to honor our mind body connection, can leave many Christian women feeling totally discouraged when it comes to establishing new spiritual disciples like Bible reading, scripture meditation, + prayer. Or make it impossible to fully lean into + apply concepts like “be still” or “be anxious for nothing.”

The default? Avoid it or spiral in shame + self deprecation, or excuse making.

Tuning in + figuring out what works for you in YOUR unique body, and learning how to nourish yourself accordingly is where behavior change happens + creates space for both physical and spiritual nourishment to happen. Applying compassion along the way helps sustain you on the journey.

Part of nourishment means being willing to challenge yourself to do hard things to build your window of tolerance + resiliency, but it doesn’t mean spiral in shame because you cannot sit physically still. That is counterproductive.

While many are quick to slap a diagnosis on this, I have found personal nervous mapping to be most helpful for both me and my clients.

It allows you to create your own unique plan to support your body, mind, + spirit + take action accordingly.

If you want to kick start 2024 with knowledge of your unique body, and learn how to intertwine biblical principles when it comes to caring for your stress response + cultivating new habits, join our 12 Week Program: Aligned + Renewed!