day 82: A Good Night's Sleep

When I was growing up I was told that "the best thing between hope and despair is a good night's sleep". I have hung on that statement many times in my work career, especially on those days and nights when I knew that there was a big problem tomorrow to be resolved, a contentious person to deal with, a major presentation to make, or a set of difficult decisions to be made. We far too many times overlook the need for sleep as a part of how productive or inefficient we will be at work. You can see it on people's faces as the week wears on and sleep deprivation takes over. I am sure that we all have had the same tough night before those next important days as I have; we toss and tumble, we stare at the ceiling, we fret and we worry. And before we know it the night has passed and we wake not as good or as ready for the day as we need to be. I have found myself many a time praying in the middle of the night to just ask God to give me peace to let me get the sleep I needed (at the time needed so desperately). What I find myself wanting at those times is to have a line of scripture that can be drawn upon to help me find peace and solace. We are told in Proverbs that if we have done our best at planning ahead and using our insight to think our best that we can rest assured that all will go well. Proverbs 3:24 goes on to say that if we have planned well and thought ahead with insight that, "You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams". We need to listen to that message and draw upon it fully. When we have done the best that we know how and we are ready as best we will ever be, then we can put our head on the pillow and let God take over from there. He wants us to rest without fear and to dream positively. Are you going through a time where the pressures and the stresses are high and you are finding that sleepless nights are the norm instead of the exception? One night will turn to two and then they start to stack up on you? See if tonight you can draw upon God's promise and get the better night's sleep in preparation for the next day coming. He wants us to be the best we can be.

Reference: Proverbs 3:24 (New Living Testament)