"Go To Sleep"

For the One Who Can’t Turn Their Mind Off

I’m far from perfect, but I have to pray. Partly because God has given me a strong compassion for the needs of others, but mostly because I need prayer in order to feel some level of peace in this stress-producing world. Fear and anxiety are always in the undercurrent of my soul. So I pray.

Just the other night, I was praying through my lengthy list of prayer requests. I was already struggling mentally, emotionally, and physically with ongoing chronic issues, but that didn’t matter.
My upbringing and my military background taught me that none of that matters. Your feelings don’t matter, and your body breaking down doesn’t matter either.

So, as usual, I pressed my way through my struggles, in prayer, thanksgiving, and praise. It was pretty late, but that didn’t matter. Since the pandemic, it’s been normal for me to lack even more sleep than usual.

As I prayed and pressed… as I praised and processed… I heard in my heart the Holy Spirit say,

“Go to sleep.”

What? I thought. That must be me. I rebuke that thought in Jesus’ name!

Again, that still small voice within said,

“Go to sleep.”

It really was the Lord.

I was stunned.

How can I sleep when there are so many people dying?

How can I sleep when there is so much hostility in the world?

How can I sleep when bullets are flying and storms are raging?

How can I sleep when evil is lurking in the night?

God had been illuminating to me for years the importance of sleep. And I would always come back with the importance of prayer and being on post.

I must pray continually, Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

I have to do my part.

I felt like I had to pray as if my prayers were keeping more bad from happening.

I was praying as though my prayers were what God needed to move in my life and in the lives of others.

Don’t get me wrong.

Prayer matters deeply to God. He wants us to pray and intercede for others. But sleep is important, too.

We are not in our glorified bodies yet. We all have limits in this earth suit.

Even Jesus took a nap right after He invited the disciples to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:23–27, Mark 4:35–41, Luke 8:22–25).

As I sat there pondering His instruction, the Lord led me to Psalm 127:2:

“It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.”

He led me to Psalm 4:8:

“I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Psalm 3:5:

“I lay down and slept;
Yet I woke up in safety,
For the Lord was watching over me.”

Psalm 23:1–3:

“The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul…”

Psalm 91:1:

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

The Lord was compassionately and lovingly inviting me to go to sleep, He wasn’t scolding me. He was inviting me to rest in Him, yet again.
“Rest in Me. Even in your prayer life.”

It was like the Lord was saying:
“Trust Me enough to stop and go to sleep now. I’ve got you, and I’ve got them.”

He helped me to see that there are times when my lengthy prayers are rooted in fear, not faith.
They are rooted in control, not trust.

Faith prays and rests.
Fear prays and prays and prays, and can’t stop to rest.
Faith says, “God heard me.”
Fear says, “Did I do enough?”

I am not omnipresent. I am not omniscient. I am not omnipotent.

God is.

Praying continually is a posture.
It’s presence, not productivity.
It’s not a check mark on my to-do list.
It’s a constant awareness of the Lord.
It’s being still and knowing that He is God, and I am not.

Sometimes the best prayer of faith is simply saying:
“Yes, Lord. I’m going to bed now. Amen and amen.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 speaks of there being a time for everything under the sun.
There is a time to urgently intercede for others, and there is a time to say,
“Thank You, Lord, for hearing my prayer. So be it.”

God loves us completely, spirit, soul, and body. Sometimes “go to sleep” is God protecting us. Protecting us from harming our weary bodies and minds even more.

Sleep rejuvenates, refreshes, and revives.
Sleep brings healing.
Sleep can bring dreams from God, dreams that provide loving guidance and hope to our hearts.

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But what if you can’t sleep?

What if you say amen, lay your head down… and toss and turn throughout the night?

That’s so hard. I can relate to those many sleepless nights.

This is what I’ve been led to do, in addition to turning off electronics, lowering the lights, and taking magnesium glycinate. :)

1. I confess what I’m really afraid of to the Lord, and how it’s making me feel.
   I write it, say it, listen to it. I do whatever feels most natural.
   Being honest with the Lord is a major key to finding rest in Him.

2. After sharing my fears with Him, I repent of those fears.
   God is so trustworthy. He has shown Himself strong in my life, and in the lives of others, time and time again. Here’s an example of what I say:

   “Lord, I repent for not trusting You more. You are worthy of my total trust.
   Lord, I ask that You would help me trust You more.”

   I must add: although very unpleasant things have happened in my life that caused me to question God’s goodness, I’ve finally come to realize that just because I don’t intellectually understand why almost everything was taken from Job for a time in the Bible, it doesn’t mean God isn’t always good. It means He is forever my Heavenly Father, and I am forever His child.

   Just as my children don’t always understand why their dad and I allow or don’t allow certain things in their lives, our love for them is still great. We always want the best for them, and God always wants the best for us as His children.

   “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

3. I replace the fears and lies I’m believing with the truth of God’s Word.
   What is true about God? Anchor yourself in God’s truth. Here’s an example:

   “God, You are our refuge and our strength. You are always ready to help us in times of trouble.”
   (My paraphrased version of Psalm 46:1)

4. I choose to release control.
   I may do this by placing one hand on my chest, taking a slow breath out, and saying:
   “I choose to put my trust in You, Lord Jesus.”
   “You are watching over me.”

   Touching your chest is a quick grounding cue that tells your brain and body, “I’m safe and I’m here,” helping you settle.
   Breathing out slowly is calming because a long exhale signals your nervous system to downshift, lowering the stress response and easing anxiety.

5. Last, but not least, I lie down in faith and repeat this scripture in a whisper (or another scripture I feel led to say slowly, like counting sheep before sleep):
   “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me secure.” (Psalm 4:8)

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A prayer for you

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You so much for Your great love for the person reading this. Thank You for never leaving them and their loved ones. Thank You for never forsaking them. Thank You, Lord, for providing them with everything they need.

Cover them in Your blood, Lord. May no hurt, harm, or danger come near them, or near anyone who concerns them. May no weapon formed against them prosper.

Father, right now I ask that You would provide my brother or sister reading this with the much-needed sleep they need. Regulate their nervous system and bring healing to their heart, Lord. Illuminate the path they need to take to find rest in You.

If there is someone they need to forgive, please make that clear to them, Lord, and help them walk through that forgiving process with You. May they find forgiveness in You and through You.

Thank You in advance, Lord, for providing the sleep their mind and body need. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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