Read that again, it’s not IN it’s AND

For all the jokes that are made about sleeping through sermons the bible seems to hold sleep in high regard. Psalm 127:2 says, “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” Clearly the psalmist didn’t think that burning the candle at both ends, like many of us like to do, was a good idea. Popular opinion seems to swing back and forth on the value of sleep. Right now the articles I see seem to think a good night’s rest is awfully important. That’s one of the reasons why my inability to sleep is so frustrating.

I don’t know why I can’t get to sleep and I really wish I could identify something so I could remedy it. I hope it’s not because my dastardly designs are unfulfilled like it says in Proverbs 4:16: “For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.” I’m not out to do anyone harm, quite the contrary, I feel like my lack of sleep does me harm. In the past I’ve eaten that “midnight snack” to try and make myself drowsy even though I think I’m plenty tired from a long day of work. It’s so confounding because that runs counter to what Ecclesiastes 5:12 says about the relationship between working and having plenty to eat. “Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.” I find myself envious of those who can nod off easily.

Too often it’s tough for me to get to sleep and almost as hard for me to stay asleep. From a practical perspective I know that my work and my mood both suffer when I don’t get enough rest. I wish I experienced what it says in Psalm 3:5, “I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.” I’ve developed this weird thing where I wake up 90 minutes or a couple hours after falling asleep and feel like I’ve slept all night. Again, I wish I could put my finger on why this happens as much as why I can’t get to sleep but it escapes me also. Maybe I have unresolved “issues” and can’t get the peace and safety I require. Psalm 4:8 says, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Who knows what kind of insecurities are rattling around in my head that I don’t know about or what fears? I wish I had the assurance that Proverbs 3:24 provides: “If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”

So what is it? Do I need peace or courage? Are there some deep dark secret desires I’m not fulfilling that keep me awake, or do I just need to work harder and eat less? Maybe I’m just insecure. Who knows? I know for certain that I need sleep and it seems like more frequently I’m not getting it. I guess I’ll just have to keep trying; maybe I should download some sermon podcasts.

Unfortunately the good book doesn’t provide a cure for insomnia nor being unable to stay asleep but it is comforting to know the bible is pro-sleep. If you know someone who doesn’t value their rest maybe they should know these things. Feel free to share this with them.

I blog every week about all kinds of things, not just sleep. If you would like to read more, click here to go to my home page. And if you would like to get an email on Saturdays with links to my most recent posts you can subscribe by clicking this. Subscribing is free and easier than going to sleep sometimes and unlike being groggy there’s no downside since I never share or sell emails.