My precious Terry has this amazing ability. He can go right to sleep when he lays down. I mean, right to sleep. I envy that.
The other night, I was so tired. But I couldn’t shut off my brain. I wondered, “Did I turn on the dishwasher?” From that thought, I wondered, “Did I send a thank you note to Tom for those sauces he sent?” After thinking about Tom and the sauces, I thought, “Did I leave them on the counter or put them in the pantry?” After visualizing the pantry, I thought, “Shoot. Did I turn the kitchen light off? Then I remembered I turned it off and saw a picture of my sister-friend, Jessica and Michala when she was little. Then I thought about how much I miss seeing Jessica and her family. My thoughts then trailed to missing so many of our friends we haven’t been able to visit this past year. Next, I was thinking about Michala, and how we want to see more of her. She will graduate (a year early!) this August, and where will she get a job? Where will she live? How will her new puppy adapt to wherever they move? (More to come on her precious, new puppy!)
The next time I looked at the clock, an hour had gone by, and my brain was nowhere near ready to sleep. An hour.
As my mind wandered to other things, another hour went by, as my sweet Terry snored softly, beside me.
I am an overthinker. Always have been. Which is not good. Especially at bedtime.
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28 (NLT)
That scripture was laid on my heart by the Holy Spirit as I laid there, awake and overwhelmed with thoughts. So I started praying. Praying for everyone we know. The next thing I knew, it was morning. And I had fallen asleep, talking to Jesus.
I so vividly remember being a little girl and hearing an elderly lady at my church in Nashville, Mrs. Birdie Dillard, saying something so profound, I never forgot it. She said, “When you can’t sleep, count your blessings. Pray for people you love and for the ones you don’t love, too. Before you know it, you will have fallen asleep in God’s arms, talking to the One who loves you, most.”
Mrs. Birdie was as precious as her name sounds, and oh how she loved Jesus. How fortunate am I, to have been taught such an incredible lesson, so young.
Now to remember and apply it!
Maybe you’re nothing like me, and you can fall asleep the very moment your head hits the pillow, and if you wake up during the night, you can go right back to sleep.
Or maybe you are like me, and have yet to find your “off” switch, at night. (Or during the day, for that matter, when thoughts or worries consume you). We can ease our minds and not allow the enemy one moment of our peace, simply by quieting our thoughts and shifting them toward prayer.
Before you know it, you will have fallen asleep in God’s arms, talking to the One who loves you, most.