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Sleep


I read many books in my early motherhood on how to raise boys. I was determined to gather as much information as I could so I could be as prepared as possible for all the twists and turns that come with raising boys. I would read books and tuck away nuggets in my heart and mind that I knew at some point I would have to apply in this mom of boys journey. One nugget in particular was that boys will tend to open up to their mothers at night time when they are lying in their beds. Boys feel that when they are in bed and their mother is there next them they are in a “safe” environment and will often say more words in those few minutes of bedtime than they have all day. I have learned that if I want to know details about things in their life beyond the words “fine” or “good” I will have much more success asking as they are going to bed.

The boys all open up a great deal during this night time process. One of the boys can share his heart and feelings, we pray, and he goes to sleep. The other boys, shares his heart, feelings, concerns, pressures, and the we pray and then he can’t sleep. I have found as he shares he allows anxiety for tomorrow and the things he feels he could have done or should have done better today override the peace that is available to him.

I reminded him of God’s word, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day isits own trouble.”[1] That he doesn’t need to worry about tomorrow and today is done and we give our concerns to and casting all our cares on God and leave them there. This process is simple yet powerful. We must know the only effective way to combat the enemy is with the Word of God. We try to train my boys on how to handle every situation with the Word of God and that every situation God has a specific word for how to overcome the fiery darts of the enemy.

But one night just like all the others before as I was going through this process with my sweet boy the Holy Spirit reminded me of something. I was reminded that God created a daily rest for us. He created a time for our bodies and minds to slumber so that we can effectively do the work which He has called us to do. That evening the Holy Spirit spoke and said, “as you sleep you are in the perfect will of God.”

I thought what an interesting concept. I gently kissed my son and put my hand on his cheek and told him, “God created this time of rest for you and when you sleep at night you are doing exactly what God wants and has asked for you to do. As you sleep you are in His perfect will tonight. We can’t change today, and we don’t worry about tomorrow because tonight we are going to live in His perfect will and rest.” Peace began to settle in my son’s heart and mind because he knew he was doing exactly what God had asked him to do for that time.

There is peace in knowing we are in the perfect will of God, knowing we are doing exactly what He has asked us to do. Sleep in crucial to your ability to function the way you were created too. Without sleep we cannot effectively face the day that is too come. Without sleep our flesh will become weak and we will find ourselves living a life less than what God has intended.

Are you struggling with sleeping at night? If you are I encourage you to take hold of scripture. Trust that God will give you Shalom, His perfect peace, as you sleep. Find comfort in knowing as you lay down, God’s grace covers the day that is done, His mercy is new for the morning, and His peace resides over you at night. Do not let the enemy to steal a gift that God has offered to you. Sleep, rest, find His perfect peace in doing His perfect will. When we are rested, when we have peace, then our faith can flourish.

[1]The New King James Version. (1982). (Mt 6:34). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

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