Sleepless Nights

            I’ve had a few nights recently when I seemed to have a hard time going to sleep. Do you have those? It’s fairly rare with me, but once in a while something is either racing through my mind or I had too much iced tea during the day. There are times now and then when my mind is troubled by something. But then there are times when I just ate too much too late in the evening, too close to bedtime. Whatever the cause, difficulty in getting to sleep is never fun. My heart goes out to folks who deal with any serious condition of insomnia. It must be very difficult. We’re made such that sleep is critical to our mental and physical well-being. I think it also has an impact on our spiritual well-being.

            On those occasions when sleeplessness is due to a restless mind or a troubled heart, there is usually something keeping us from peace. While a glass of warm milk or a little TV watching may produce some benefit, I have often found that prayer is usually helpful. I don’t mean that prayer is some mindless technique to help or cure insomnia. What I mean is that prayer allows us to come into the presence of the Lord. I think of the chorus… “Where the Spirit of the Lord is… there is peace… Where the Spirit of the Lord is… there is love… There is comfort in life’s darkest hour; there is light and life, there is hope and power in the Spirit, in the Spirit of the Lord.” And I think of Isaiah 26:3 – “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.”

            Remember the story about how the disciples learned this the hard way? One of Galilee’s fierce storms came upon them and Jesus while they were in a boat. It was strong enough to cause fear among seasoned fishermen, and sheer terror among the inexperienced. But, amazingly, Jesus is sleeping. They awake Him so that He will come to their rescue and are dumbfounded when He calms the storm. Then He chastises them for their lack of faith. They must not have fully figured out who Jesus was by that time. Because, if they did know who He was, they would know that they were actually in the safest place possible. In His will and in His presence is always the safest place – even when we are in danger. I certainly have little desire to fault the disciples. I have lost sleep over far more trivial kinds of things. But I think the principle is the same. On some of my sleepless nights, a lack of faith and the sleeplessness go together. Everything in me is focused on something (usually) beyond my control, but completely under His control. If I forget that I am typically headed for a restless night. But when I remember – when I turn it over to Him – I begin to move in the right direction of a solution.

            When you next face a restless night, may the Lord gently remind you that He is in control, and that you can trust Him, and may He give you perfect peace.

Matthew 8:23-27 (NIV) ²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" ²⁶ He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. ²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

 PRAYER: “Thank You, Father, for the peace You generously give to me when I trust You. In times of agitation, please guide Your Spirit to point my faith to You and to rest in the truth of Your sovereignty and control. Forgive me when I forget You and fret. I rest in You.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

 Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott