“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
– Matthew 6:34, NKJ
Our God is able to sympathize with us because he's been here. He is a good Dad who knows we have needs. He'll take care of us.”
Do you have trouble sleeping? When you lay your head on your pillow at night does your mind continue to reel with thoughts of your day, things on your “to do list”, or problems that may or may not come to pass? If this is you, you’re in good company because more than 90 million Americans have trouble sleeping. Most of them are trying all kinds of remedies. Tylenol PM. Benadryl. NyQuil. Ambien. I am not anti-medication; sleep aides sometimes are necessary and okay. But why take them if you don’t need them? How about we look at the reasons for your sleeping difficulties?
If it’s physical, maybe you need to try some exercise or cutting back on your caffeine during the day. Read a book before turning out the light. Maybe seeing a doctor or professional counselor is in order. But if your source of insomnia is worry and anxiousness, you need to take it to the almighty counselor: Jehovah Shalom—our god of peace which transcends all understanding who is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…” (Ephesians 3:20). Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Here we are told to be anxious for nothing and to give everything over to God—all those things you’ve been carrying in your mind. Don’t worry over stuff that may happen or has already happened. Losing sleep over these things can make you crazy. We serve a God that can be trusted to keep that which we have committed to Him (2 Timothy 1:12). When you lay down at night, turn everything you’ve been carrying over to Him. You need your sleep. God’s got your back!
This devotional is an excerpt from Ignite Your Faith by Dr. Tim Clinton & Max Davis.
