Eleven months into 2025 and by now we have realised that there’s nothing magical in the turning of a calendar year, and yet some of us are already looking forward to the beginning of another year. Life may feel like closing in on us leaving us with a feeling of living trapped in a dungeon gasping for fresh air to breathe. Yet, life goes on with a myriad of responsibilities at hand, our personality slips through our fingers and we struggle with the question, “Who am I?”. “There’s got to be more to life than this”, we say and long for that quiet rest.

Is it found in any vacation spot, geographical location, silence, getting away from home, work, responsibility or people perhaps? Haven’t we all tried some of these only to find ourselves back to where we started? What if rest can be found in the midst of your ordinary, common, mundane, humdrum routine of life? What if having a quiet heart is possible even through raging storms, unchanged circumstances and tumumtous situations and the various battles of the mind?

Having a quiet heart is but a bliss. Though many long for it some of us find the quiet rest of the inner sanctum of our soul; but few of us learn to keep it, for it is beyond the reach of superhuman strength. The first step to keep a quiet heart is to find the rest.

Seek the Source
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. This invitation is open to anyone who is exhausted and weary, or burdened by responsibilities or sinful life. When we bend our will to Him and learn from Him in humility, Jesus offers Divine peace as He’s the restorer of our souls. Pursue the Peace Giver, for He is the source.

Take responsibility for your rest
Ps. 131:2 says “I have calmed and quieted myself.”
Knowing that I am responsible for my rest, brings a sense of purpose and clarity that can’t be sought by calming our outside world. Blaming the circumstances or the people around for our restlessness reveals a heart that doesn’t trust in the Sovereignty of a God who carefully orchestrates our lives.

Though the battle belongs to the Lord, He expects us to fight, conquer and take possession of what’s rightfully ours. Here are some ways to fight your battles of the mind to keep a quiet heart.

Declutter your Mind:

Think about what occupies your mind most of the time. Does your mind keep wandering where your attention shifts from the current task at hand to the memories of the past to the plans of the future? Eastern meditation calls for emptying one’s mind to achieve inner peace, whereas Apostle Paul encourages us to fill our minds with the thoughts of God.

What we think influences our emotions and behaviours. When we meditate on Scripture we reinforce neural pathways that align our thoughts to God’s truth. It also reduces activity in the fear and stress center of the brain, resulting in less anxiety and greater inner peace.

Train your mind to be present. Worries about future, regrets of the past, stress about the present breeds unproductive energy by dulling our mind. Paul writes in 2 Cor 10:5 that one must take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Declutter your heart:

Heart is the seat of emotions and the control centre of our life. Injuries caused by others, past hurts and resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness, insecurities and rejections, guilts and regrets, doubts and fears, unresolved worries can become an emotional baggage resulting in negative fruitfulness of your life. Many clinical psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, addictions, eating disorders and relationship struggles stem from failure to dealing with the baggages. That is why the wisest Solomon says in Prov 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Own your scars and embrace your pain so that your present is repaired and a better future is built. Because the heart of God beats close to the broken hearted, release them at the feet of the cross to find freedom in Christ. Rise above the victim mentality for God has not given us the spirit of orphanhood, but has promised that nothing can separate us from the wonderful love of God. Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal and perfect love casts out fear, anxiety, depression or anything that clutters your heart.

Declutter your life:

Taking on problems and projects never intended for us traps us in endless activities leading to an out of control life. Some people who are stuck in childish patterns evade their responsibility and unload their load onto others. But we are only responsible for carrying our own loads and taking on others’ become a burden. Learn to set limits on others destructive and irresponsible behaviours.

Most of our lives are powered by mental to-do lists, resulting in unproductivity and dissatisfaction with the quality of life. Singleness of purpose helps us to steward our resources and glorify the Giver of all gifts and responsibilities. We need to learn to operate on our calling instead of our inner drive to prove ourselves. Embrace the rhythms of rest, practice the pause and reflect on the beauty of life.

Christians are not called to be “nice” people who say yes to every demand that comes their way, but those who have firm boundaries planted on the truths of the Word of God. Maintaining emotional distance from people who are doubtful and unbelieving, anxious and worried, judgemental and critical, argumentative and perfectionistic prevents us from frantically scrambling for emotional connectedness and love. Setting limitations on people with toxic traits or just taking time off from them can soothe emotional disarray.

Jesus promises a life of abundance not a life characterised by excess. Excess of material things, projects or problems of others crowd our life preventing us from enjoying the abundant life that God has promised.

Practising the presence of God and redirecting our thoughts towards Jesus restores the joy of the Lord in our life. Waiting on the Lord by decluttering our mind, heart and life gives place for Jesus to sit and rule.
Quietening our heart requires waiting on the Lord in solitude and meditation. God whispers to His beloved in a still small voice and quiets the loud noise around and from within.

Instead of being distraced, worried and upset like Martha, let us learn to keep a quiet heart by sitting at the feet of Lord Jesus like Mary and seek His face.

Thanks : Tharisana Sudar, November 2025