Today’s Post By: Rae Lynn DeAngelis
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Sometimes when I wake up in the morning I’m more tired than when I went to sleep the night before. I have no problem falling asleep initially, but if I wake up in the middle of the night, my mind starts racing, and I can’t slow down long enough to fall back asleep. I lie awake for sometimes hours, tossing and turning.
God designed our bodies to rest, and when we aren’t getting enough sleep, it shows up in our temperament and mood the next day. We become short tempered, grumpy, emotional and unfocused. That’s not good.
I’ve tried many different methods to help me relax when sleep eludes me, but so far, the only thing I’ve found to help me fall back to sleep is praying. I used to feel bad for praying to help me sleep, because I usually drift off in mid-sentence, leaving God hanging.
Surely God wouldn’t approve of this tactic for falling asleep.
A friend shared that she does the same thing, but she doesn’t feel bad about it. She said, “What better way to fall asleep than to do so in the arms of Jesus.”
She was absolutely right! It’s not as if my only prayer time is in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep. As a matter of fact, I pray several times a day. This is just another prayer time that comes with an added benefit – sleep!
This method works because we feel God’s presence with us in the dark. God’s presence brings peace. Our minds are focused on Him and not everything else going on in our lives.
The next time you have a restless night, give it a try. Relax, snuggle up with God, and fall asleep in the arms of Jesus.
“The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” (John 14:27)
