Sleeplessness

https://odb.org/2025/06/30/sleepless

Psalm 3: 1 Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” 3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4 I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. 5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not fear, though tens of thousands assail me on every side. 7 Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. 8 From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

I think most of us would have experienced sleepless nights before. Sometimes, it’s just due to overthinking or over day-dreaming. The latter is quite an oxymoron as we dream at night when we sleep, but if we are not sleeping and still dream, then we are day-dreaming even though it’s not day! But mostly, we are unable to sleep because we are worried over something. Perhaps it was a mistake we made at work. Or an upcoming failure of a project. Or, it concerns a decision we are to receive for something like our examination results. Or we are just worried about what tomorrow brings when we don’t have much money left in our wallet. Or, like someone I know, she has trouble sleeping because the dogs next door bark through the night!

However, if we are always sleepless because we are always worried over things, then our lives are pretty miserable. We will be tired in the day because we didn’t have a good rest in the night. If we are tired, we will likely be less productive and more moody. All these will not bode well for our overall well-being and health if the situation persists.

As believers, although we are as human as other humans, we are spiritually awake and have direct communion with God. We can speak to our Heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Thus, when we experience sleeplessness, we should take the opportunity to pray. Pray in tongues if we are Spirt-filled. Enter into a time of prayer. Talk to the Lord or just pray for someone. Most importantly, commit the situation that is causing us to be unable to sleep to the Lord. In Psalm 3, David faced the heartbreaking situation of his own son, Absalom, going after his life, and yet He found comfort in the LORD. He believed that the LORD God would rescue and deliver him. He committed his unenviable situation unto the LORD. He trusted in the deliverance of God.

No one can escape sleeplessness. It is bound to occur. Just that it happens too often, it is not good for us in the long run. But if we are believers, don’t miss out the privilege of working with God for our situation. Pray for peace despite our anxiety. Pray for calmness of heart notwithstanding the uncertainties. The Lord is our shepherd. We shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me besides still waters. He refreshes my soul. And even if He leads me through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil as His rod and staff protect me. Read Psalm 23 and commit our situation and life unto Him! Trust that surely goodness and mercy will follow us the rest of our days as we dwell in the House of the Lord forever! Amen!