I guess that most people reading this have had some sleepless nights; worried about health, work, paying the bills or reliving a negative experience in a relationship. We spend time working out how we are going to find a solution for ourselves, or working through different scenarios as to what might happen – ‘what if?’. It is easy to become overwhelmed. The next day we are exhausted and continue to work out our own solutions. We try to work harder but another sleepless night of worry follows.
There is a verse in Psalm 127 which says “It is no use for you to get up early and stay up late working for a living.” The famous Frank Sinatra song “I did it my way” is one of the most popular chosen for funerals. The lyrics are both despairing of the end of life but also expressive of the arrogance and the futility of life. The psalmist goes on to say “The Lord gives sleep to those he loves”. God see the bigger picture in way that we never can. If we trust and rely on him, we can be free of that endless cycle of worry and hard work. It’s not easy but as we learn to step back, pause and ask God what to focus our time and attention on, he will guide us.
I am grateful for the gift of sleep that God gives. I hand my worries over to God. I say sorry for the wrong things I may have said or done on that day and I’m given restful, refreshing sleep.