Sleepless Nights

Psalm 138:3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.

There are those times in life when sleep escapes us. We toss and turn and try to rest for our bodies are weary. We are tired from the mental strain that is upon us, and sometimes this can tire the body more than the physical work. The mind is so powerful, when it is operating under peak demand, its toll is taken on the whole body and our physical energies are spent on it. Yet when we lie down to rest, to regain our strength, our mind has not yet come to the end point of it’s work. It continues to generate and the sleep that renews escapes us. I have had many of those nights recently, and I am sure many of you are under mental strains yourselves.

Although I cannot hit the off switch in my mind, I can rest in the assurance that all is well. The anxieties, (that really aren’t always anxieties), just seem to preoccupy my thoughts for more hours than I desire to remain awake. I am currently under great strains, yet I am also under great care in the arms of my King. This brings about a peace in these stressful situations that the world does not understand, but it presents an opportunity to share what you possess with those that know the strain. David fills the Psalms with his heart for God in all that he faces. It does not matter what he is facing, even when he questions God, he knows God is in control of all of it. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. God has either allowed or designed where you are at right now. Whatever you are facing will either draw you closer to Him, or Satan will drag you away from Him, depending on where your heart lies.

Sleepless nights are many times the best alone time with God. A friend of mine calls these times “Nightwatch”, when he is awoken and feeling led by God to pray. Opening the Bible in the stillness of the night removes the white noise static of the world. Prayer and meditation from hearts that cry out in these quiet hours are moving times with God. There is something special when God awakes you in the middle of the night. We want the spectacular, the power of God evident to us, yet we may miss the still small voice that comes at 2am. When God spoke to Elijah, it was not in the evidences of His power, it was in the whisper. 1 Kings 19:12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. It may be that God knows you will only hear Him in the still of the night when only He has your attention.