STILLNESS IN THE RUSH

Have you ever found yourself at Grand Central Terminal or any busy train station during rush hour? If you have, you know what it’s like—waves of people surging in every direction. The noise, the urgency, the momentum. It’s a river, and once you’re in it, it can feel like you’re swept along whether you like it or not. There’s barely time to think, let alone to pause.

But in that fast-moving crowd, have you ever seen someone stop? Maybe they’re looking at a map or checking the signs. And in that moment of stillness, something powerful happens. They refuse to be carried by the crowd. They choose to find their direction before they move.

That is what our spiritual lives are meant to be. The world we live in moves fast. It tells us to keep up. It pushes us toward decisions before we’ve prayed about them, habits before we’ve thought about them, values before we’ve questioned them. It urges us to follow the crowd—to do what’s popular, to chase what’s urgent, to mimic what’s trending.

But Scripture calls us to something different. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” In other words, don’t get swept away by the pressure of the crowd. Be still. Let your mind and heart be renewed. Let the Spirit of God lead you.

Even Lord Jesus took time to pause. He healed, He taught, He worked miracles, but as Luke 5:16 reminds us, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” He didn’t run on the energy of the crowd. He lived from the stillness of communion with the Father. He chose His steps deliberately. And so must we.

Yes, it may feel awkward to be the only one standing still. It may take courage to pause when everyone else is rushing forward. But often, the most spiritual thing you can do is to stop. To take a breath. To ask, “Lord, where are You leading me?”

So if you feel overwhelmed, disoriented, or just plain tired, pause. Don’t let the crowd choose your path. Stop. Breathe. Pray. And then, when you’re ready, take your next step—not in fear, not in haste, but with faith.

Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
August 19, 2025