Thomas Nelson - Gods Peace When You Cant Sleep

TO: _________________________

FROM: _______________________

Gods Peace for When You Cant Sleep

2015 by Thomas Nelson

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked CEV are taken from the Contemporary English Version copyright 1995 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.

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ISBN-13: 978-0-7180-3788-8

ISBN-13: 978-0-7180-3789-5 (eBook)

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Contents

I ts that time of night again. The house is quiet, the stars are shining against the blackened sky, and everyone is asleep. Everyone, that is, except you. Your mind is racing, shoulders still hunched with the days obligations, fists already clenched with the worries of what a new day will bring. In a word, youre overwhelmed. Exhausted. Wondering when the to-do list will let up, when the financial pressure will finally subside, when your days will feel like less of a rat race.

And so it begins every evening: the endless fight for sleep. As the hours pass, anxiety creeps in with the knowledge morning is drawing closerand you havent yet slept. The day is dawning, but rest has only come in intermittent fits. In fact, youre more exhausted than ever while lying in the rumpled mess of your sheets, trying, trying to ignore the ticking of the clock. Does this ring true for you right now? Are you letting out a whoosh of relief, thinking, Yes, I get it. Thats me. I am not alone!

My friend, take heart. For the burdens you are carrying in your heart, mind, and body arent yours to bear alone. There is One who understands and is waiting to help you. Again and again, God reminds us in Scripture that through leaning on Him, we will find rest for our soulsour down-trodden, utterly wearied souls. Jesus Christ Himself doesnt just tell us to give Him our burdens; He offers to take our burdens forus. He commands us, all of us who are weary and heavy laden, to come to Him and lay our burdens down. Not just half of them, not the ones that seem easily fixableall of them. What He gives in return is like a cooling, soul-satisfying drink: He gives rest.

As you reflect on these words, on the promises and call of the Lord, take in a deep breath. Exhale the stress you are holding, and breathe in the peace of God, letting the promises of His Word flood your tired soul. And then, as you close your eyes and lay your head down, know that He is right there with you; He is your rock, your strength, your ever-present help in times of trouble, even in the quiet hours of the morning. Cling to that rock!

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

MATTHEW 11:28

From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

PSALM 61:2

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.

PSALM 4:8

Prayer

LORD, YOU ARE THE GIVER of rest. Help me trust that You have everything under control, and that my job is not to juggle everything, but to hand all of my burdens over to You, the all-powerful, able, strong God.

Blessing

MAY GODS STRENGTH BE yours tonight, calming you with His goodness, nourishing you with His richness, satisfying you with His all-encompassing presence and grace. May your burdens be replaced with joy and your worries exchanged for peace.

Praise

I PRAISE YOU, LORD, FOR taking my burdens over and over, never ceasing to lighten my load.

W hen you are angry, it can be difficult to fall asleep. You lie in bed stewing, your mind constantly replaying the events that led to your anger. Maybe it was something that happened today: your coworkers criticism, your childs rebellious behavior, the church members gossip with you at the center. Or maybe something happened in the past but continually comes back to the surface of your mind. Her unkind words, his refusal to apologize, the betrayal you never saw coming, the wounds you think will never heal. Those are hard things to forgiveand hard things to let go.

While your day may be filled with so much busyness theres no time to properly contemplate these difficult circumstances, your nights lying in bed are often not that way. All you have is yourself, your pillow, and your thoughts. And when your thoughts turn to these provoking situations, they can lead to long nights of restlessness. Instead of peacefully dreaming, youre troubled by ways youve been wronged, mistreated, and deceived. Not surprisingly, this doesnt lead to peaceful, bliss-filled sleep. Instead, your heart feels a little hard and your desire for revenge keeps knocking, holding your thoughts captive.

What would it look like to let that anger go? The resentment that pounds in your veins and makes your face flush with frustration is really controlling younot the person who wronged you, not the friend who deceived you, not the spouse who betrayed you. In short, the anger you hold and nurse and keep on simmer is impacting you most fervently. Its stealing your body of rest and festering in the deepest parts of your soul. Be careful, beloved. The enemy relishes the angst you are feeling. But there is good news: the Lord is able to rescue you from it.

In Psalm 37:8, the psalmist said, Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil (ESV). Harboring unforgiveness is not only harmful for youits also exhausting. Make a change tonight, even a small change. Cry to God for help. Ask Him for supernatural strength to breathe deeply, inhaling forgiveness and exhaling bitterness. Imagine His loving arms around you, letting you know that He understands. This kind of change doesnt often happen overnight. But just for this night, in these quiet moments, you can take a small step toward changecleansing, purifying, rest-giving change.