Sleeping Beauty!

There are two things I really like and enjoy doing uninterrupted: eating and sleeping.

I generally don’t like to speak or be spoken to while I’m eating. Those who know me well, reschedule any planned discourse if they hear the muffled sound of eating. I am not of the 'cut and swallow' clan either, so I eat slowly, which helps me to relish meals. It is my moment of solitude as I enjoy every bite.

Sleep is just as dear to me. I need 8 hours to feel properly rested. However, as life became more demanding, I have become content with 7 hours. Apart from the physical health benefits of sleep, as you reset and restore your body, it is also the best time to turn off all your stress and worries and bask in the blessing and bliss of beautiful sleep.

Proverbs 3:24 says, “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet”. This was a scripture in one of my devotionals this week. It reminded me of another scripture in Psalm 4:8 that I frequently recited at bedtime years ago when I lived alone. "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety." At night, I would close up my home, lock the doors and windows, and retreat to my room. I would repeat this Psalm as I concluded my prayer while visualising strong angelic beings standing guard at every corner of my home. I remember my dad mentioning once how 'brave' I was for living alone. It wasn't about being brave (because I really wasn't), but only that I truly and deeply knew that God alone was my safety and security and that He would keep that promise to me. This mindset is now well ingrained in me, whether or not I actually repeat the verse.

Sleep time is meant to be peace time, not planning time, not worry time, and not complaining time. Sweet sleep is a gift from God. It is our gesture of trust in God, who never sleeps and who will do a better job (well the best job) of handling anything that seeks to deprive us of that sleep. The peace, safety, and security we all desire when we lie down to sleep come from God.

Psalm 127:1 ESV says, "... Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain". God is our security, and He is our peace. He can do what the latest offerings in home or personal security never can. They may blare alarms at physical intruders, but are powerless to bring peace and security to our thoughts. Many lie down and are tormented by past trouble, present tumult, or future calamity.

Our thoughts can create more angst in our lives than actual physical danger. Many use busy schedules to distract them from distressing thoughts that gnaw in the dark corners of their minds. However, when they lie down and the room is quiet, everything that was skillfully suppressed now overflows with volcanic intensity. Since deadly conflict has been skirting around our borders and wartime tensions continuously rise, now more than ever, we can be consumed by “what ifs” that threaten our peace and sleep.

Yet God assures us that we need not fear for our safety and that we will have sweet, peaceful sleep through His wisdom.

Proverbs 3:21-24 NLT

²¹My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion;

²² they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.

²³ Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.

²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

By wisdom and understanding, we can access the beautiful sleep this scripture speaks of. We petition the Holy Spirit to reveal to us all we need. Lack of restful sleep robs you of a gift God provides daily. See it as a beautifully wrapped present that He gives to you every night. Imagine that this present/gift allows you to see and understand the details of how He restores and heals your body while you sleep. Imagine Him showing you how His team of Angels is attending to your matters. Furthermore, He shows you how He has already strategised and worked out the favour to get all your wants and needs met.

When you receive the gift of a good rest, you are also simultaneously giving God your trust. The devil has fooled many of us into thinking that the best time to analyse our to-do list, plan an event, or rehash missed opportunities is when it's time to sleep. His trick is to rob you of what your soul needs while you sleep. Here is a little secret: "nothing you're thinking or worrying about before you go to sleep can be resolved in the few hours you have left to sleep!"

So my encouragement is to rest. Go to sleep tonight smiling as you thank God for the awesome gift of sleep. By doing so, you declare in your body that you trust Him completely for everything that threatens your ability to enjoy HIS gift. I know that medical conditions and other biological factors affect a person's sleep quality, and my words aren’t meant to cover those areas.

However, work, plan, and strategise during your waking hours; when it is time for sleep, speak to your heavenly Father, trust Him to cover and care for you and your loved ones, then close your eyes and sleep.

Love Ya!

Krystal Baynes-Hoseinee

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