Devotion for the Week...
Normally I fall asleep pretty easily once I go to bed. Occasionally, though, I'll have some quilting project possibilities on my mind and they'll keep swirling around, so I lie there awake and planning until well past when I should be asleep. Or sometimes I'm worried about something and that keeps me awake, thinking about what might happen or what could be done to fix a problem.
These days, I imagine there are a lot of people who lie awake at night worrying. They could be worried about their own health, the health of someone they love or if their job will be impacted by the changes brought about the coronavirus. They might also be worried about how they'll occupy their kids for weeks on end while they stay home and wait to see what happens next. There are plenty of things to worry about, these days.
It was those nighttime worries that popped into my head when I read Psalm 63 last week. Psalm 63 was written by David during his time in the wilderness when he was hiding from King Saul, who was jealous and wanted to kill him. Obviously, David had his own share of things he could lie awake at night worrying about, but instead he wrote in verse 6, "I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night."
That takes discipline, I think, or conscious thought at the very least. It's natural to worry when life isn't going the way we want it to go. It natural to lie awake and think about our problems or the problems of the world at large. It seems less natural to push those concerns away and focus instead on God. The latter is infinitely more helpful, though.
Me lying awake and worrying accomplishes nothing (lying awake and planning quilting projects accomplishes only slightly more, lol). All I get for my effort is tired and cranky. Jesus spoke about the futility of worry, asking, "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?" (Luke 12:25, 26).
If we're awake and can't sleep, changing our thoughts to focus on Him will remind us that He is in control. As David wrote, "Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely" (vv. 7, 8). It won't always be easy, and we'll probably have to focus our thoughts multiple times even in just one night, but the effort will be worth it.
As a bonus, focusing on God might even help us fall asleep faster, which would definitely help ward off the tired and cranky effects the next day.
