Seek God on Those Sleepless Nights
"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." -- Psalm 4:8
A friend of mine confessed one day that this is her favorite passage in all the Bible. She repeats it to herself on those black nights where sleep will not come. She is a widow of many years. Her days are filled with children and grandchildren, volunteer activities and church. She is quick to laugh and gracious with her hugs. But in the night, when she is alone except for her dogs, is when she feels the aloneness of widowhood the most.
This Bible passage reminds her that God is with us always. In the stillness, He is there. In the turmoil, He is there.
Another woman I know once lamented the sleepless hours she spent worrying about adult children. I asked this Christian lady if she ever rose from her bed and sought God. Did she pray on those nights she couldn't sleep? Did she read scripture? Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. I don't think it had ever occurred to her to do either or both of those things. She covered it well, lashing out at me. How could I understand when I never had children?
She's right. I don't understand. Her adult children are her points of worry. Mine are something else entirely. Yours are likely something else. We all have our issues that keep us up at night. The question is not whether they occur, because they do happen to all of us. The question is what we do about it. Do we fret for hours or do we turn to the One who can actually help? The One who will understand? The One who can either fix our problems or give us peace within the storm?
We have a choice. We can embrace our worries or we can do something about them. As for me, I'd much rather sleep in peace with God.
No comments:
Post a Comment