I was pacing the kitchen at 2 AM last week, mind racing with worry about job interviews, bills, and whether we made the right choice moving to Nashville.

Then this old hymn came to mind - "Be Still My Soul" - and I realized I was doing everything except what the title suggests. I was not being still.

Sometimes the oldest wisdom is exactly what our modern chaos needs.

The Woman Behind the Words

"Be Still My Soul" was written by Katharina von Schlegel, a German woman living in the early 1700s. We don't know much about her life - it does not appear she was famous. She didn't write bestselling books and wasn't the wife of a prominent minister.

She was a woman who understood the need to find peace in the middle of life's storms.

Her original German poem, "Stille, mein Wille," was later translated into English and paired with Jean Sibelius's beautiful melody "Finlandia." The combination created something that has comforted people for over 250 years.

Her words of comfort are still speaking to anxious hearts.

The Wisdom of Stillness

Then and now - we still have plenty to worry about. It's easy to have an anxious heart. Income uncertainty, kids' futures, health scares, relationship problems, financial pressure. The circumstances change but the need for peace remains.

This hymn doesn't offer quick fixes or easy answers. It offers something much more radical - the suggestion that sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is stop doing anything at all.

When My Soul Needs to Be Still

I think about this hymn during those seasons when everything feels overwhelming. Like right now. When there's difficulties, struggles - everything feels hard.

"Be still, my soul" isn't about being passive. It's about recognizing the difference between helpful action and anxious spinning.

The Lord Is on Your Side

One of the most comforting aspects of this hymn is the reminder that we're not facing life's challenges alone. The stillness isn't empty - it's filled with the presence of someone who understands our struggles.

In a culture that says you have to earn your worth, prove your value, and solve your own problems, the hymn suggests there's a source of strength outside ourselves.

Practical Stillness

So what does "be still my soul" actually look like in real life?

In the morning - Starting my day with twenty minutes of quiet - Bible reading or listening to an audio version - before checking my phone or jumping into the to-do list. I also add prayer. I'm usually sitting with my coffee during this time and listening to what my heart needs to hear that day.

During crisis - Taking three deep breaths and whispering a quick prayer before responding to bad news or stressful situations. Even "God, Help me" counts as prayer when your world feels like it's spinning.

With the kids - Sitting quietly with them when they're upset instead of immediately trying to fix their problems. I'm learning that sometimes the most loving thing I can do is just listen - really listen - the way God listens to us.

At bedtime - Together, our family practices gratitude and prays together each evening. Before that begins, I work on releasing the day's worries instead of rehearsing them over and over. I've started reading a Psalm or two before sleep, letting those ancient words of trust wash over my anxious thoughts.

In decision-making - Creating space to think clearly instead of making choices from a place of panic or pressure. This might mean taking a walk while I pray about a situation.

During worship - Whether it's singing hymns at church or humming "Be Still My Soul" while doing dishes, letting music quiet my spirit when words feel too hard.

The Gift of Trusting the Process

This hymn reminds me that not every problem needs to be solved immediately. Not every question needs an answer right now. Not every worry deserves my full attention at 2 AM.

Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is trust that things will work out, even when we can't see how.

That doesn't mean being irresponsible or passive. It means doing what we can and releasing what we can't control.

A Song for Anxious Hearts

"Be Still My Soul" has been sung at countless funerals, in hospital waiting rooms, during times of national crisis, and in the quiet moments when individuals face their own personal storms.

It's not a happy song, exactly. It's a peaceful song. There's a difference.

Happy depends on circumstances. Peace can exist even when circumstances are difficult.

Finding Your Own Stillness

Maybe you're in a season right now where everything feels chaotic. Where the future is uncertain, the present is stressful, and your soul feels anything but still.

Katharina von Schlegel understood that feeling. So have countless people who've found comfort in her words over the centuries.

You don't have to have it all figured out. You don't have to solve everything today. You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Sometimes the most powerful prayer is the simplest one: "God, Help me be still."

When Your Soul Needs Quieting

In our culture of constant motion and endless productivity, stillness feels like luxury we can't afford. But maybe it's actually a necessity we can't afford to ignore.

Maybe the racing thoughts, the middle-of-the-night worry sessions, the endless planning and replanning aren't helping us move forward - they're keeping us stuck.

Maybe what we need isn't more action but more peace. Not more answers but more trust. Not more control but more stillness.

The Promise in the Stillness

The beautiful thing about this old hymn is its quiet confidence that things will work out. Not necessarily the way we planned or hoped, but in ways that are ultimately good.

That's not naive optimism - it's hard-won wisdom from people who've walked through difficult seasons and discovered that peace is possible even when life isn't perfect.

Your current struggle won't last forever. The uncertainty you're facing will resolve eventually. The worry that's keeping you awake will either be solved or will lose its power over you.

In the meantime, maybe it's enough to breathe deeply, release what you can't control, and trust that you're not walking through this alone.

Be still.

What helps quiet your anxious thoughts? How do you find peace in the middle of uncertain seasons? I'd love to hear what practices help you when your soul needs to be still.