Heart of Flesh

Are you getting enough sleep? So many of us are sleep-deprived; studies show we are tired at school, tired at work, and tired when we are driving our cars. During our teen years, most of us need eight to ten hours of sleep every night. That’s hard to get if we are worried or stressed about the day ahead. We may push stress to the back of our minds during the day, but at night, our minds circle around our problems. Sleep and worry do not mix. Yet God has compassion on us. He invites us to give our worries to Him in prayer. He not only hears us, He helps us with the problems we face.

Psalm 3 was written by King David when he was fleeing the rebellion led by his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15). David was literally running for his life! As the psalm begins, David cries out to God about the danger he is facing: “Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!†But by verses 4 and 5, David is reminded that the God he trusts is faithful: “I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.†David was able to rest at night, even when he was in danger. He gave his troubles to God, knowing that God would help him.

If you are troubled by worries and fears at night, you are not alone. If you’ve put your trust in Jesus, you can know that God is with you, even in the darkness. He is more powerful than anything that troubles us, and He invites us to give all our concerns to Him. And the Holy Spirit helps us remember God’s goodness and rest in His love. Some Christians make it a practice to come to God in prayer before bed, or meditate on Scripture or a song of praise as they drift off. Some find they can rest easier after they have a time of reflection and confession at the end of the day. No matter what is going on in our lives, we can trust God will help us with whatever the new day brings. And we can rest in His promises. • Laura N. Sweet

• What kinds of thoughts keep you up at night? Worries, guilt, regret, fear…? God invites us to come to Him with all these things, and to rest in His love, forgiveness, and protection.

• Sleep is an important part of our physical and emotional health. Sometimes, we need help in order to give our bodies the sleep we need, and that’s okay. If you have difficulty sleeping, who is a trusted adult you can talk to, such as a parent, counselor, or doctor?

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Ezek.11.16-Ezek.11.21|Ezek.36.24-Ezek.36.28|Ps.32.1-Ps.32.5|Ps.51