How to Trust God for Rest During Sleepless Nights
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Rest is something every human being needs. Some need more rest than others, and different seasons provide more rest than others. When we talk about rest, you probably immediately have an idea in your mind of what that looks like to you.
For some, rest means a deep night’s sleep, for others it means a day off work to do all the things you can’t do on a normal work day. You might envision a beach with the sunshine reflecting off the water, or a mountain cabin where you don’t get cell phone service. Maybe for you it’s a spa day or a day when there is no agenda.
No matter what rest looks like for you, we all have those nights when sleep simply will not set in. Recently my four-year-old has had so many sleepless nights and therefore I have too. How can we trust God to help us get the rest we need when rest feels so far away? Together, we are going to unpack a few places in Scripture that talk about rest and see how we can trust God for the rest we need.
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1. God Designed Rest from the Start
“And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation” (Genesis 2:2-3).
Rest is God’s design. From the very beginning of time, God instituted rest through example by giving the framework of a seven-day week with one day of rest. Rest isn’t something God withholds or doesn’t want us to have. He created it and demanded it as a way of life.
While we can’t live on one day of sleep for the week, we can follow God’s example. Take a day to change the rhythm of your week by including a day that looks different than the others.
2. God Promises Rest in His Presence
“And he said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest’” (Exodus 33:14).
This verse is in the story of Moses. Moses has some uncertainties about what God will do, so he ask God, “how will I know that you will go with me and give rest”? God answers, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name” (Exodus 33:17).
The example of Moses candidly speaking with God is a great way for us to understand that we can speak with the Lord too. We can ask the hard questions about rest and we can also receive the amazing answer. God promises He will do what He says.
If you are struggling with sleep, try saying Exodus 33:14 out loud in those moments when rest feels far away. Remember the promises of God and think on them during your sleepless nights.
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3. Jesus Offers Soul Rest
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
This is one of my favorite portions of Scripture regarding rest. It is not a passive promise from God. It is a direct promise with clear instruction. It tells the tired, the weary, the restless to come to Jesus.
In that simple act of making their way to Him, He offers a precious gift of rest. Not only is there the instruction to come to Jesus, but also to join Jesus in the work and let Him do the heavy lifting. In this obedient act toward Christ, the promise is deeper than simple rest. It is soul rest. This is the rest we receive even when we cannot get the full physical rest our bodies need.
If you are struggling with sleepless nights, try praying this passage to God, telling Him you need this soul rest He speaks of.
4. Sweet Sleep Comes from God
“Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet” (Proverbs 3:23-24).
There is nothing better than that deep sweet sleep that comes from a soul that is at peace. I call it a “Sunday afternoon nap” kind of sleep. The kind when you wake up and can’t remember what day or time it is.
These verses in Psalms give me this feeling. It is a secure, steady, fearless kind of rest only available when God lets the soul and body find its way into a settled place. If it has been a long time since you have woken up from that kind of rest, don’t run away from God, run to Him and ask Him for the sweet kind of sleep your body and soul desperately need.
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5. Peace from God Makes Space for Rest
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).
Fear is one of the biggest enemies of rest. When we have a lot of life going on and the big battles of our days enter into our nights, sleep is hard to come by. The mind races, the thoughts fly and sleep seems so difficult and complicated. We long for peace, but counting sheep just isn’t doing the trick.
This Psalm gives us the perfect words to put to prayer in these seasons. Write it down. Say it out loud. Remind yourself where your security comes from. Trusting God isn’t easy, but it is possible. And sleep often comes after we let go of the things that are troubling our souls.
6. God Gives Rest to a Mind Focused on Him
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3).
This has been my verse this year. I have had more sleepless nights than I can count. With a sleepless child, health struggles, and family issues that require abundant prayer and faith, my sleep has been complicated, to put it simply. But this verse has helped me put my mind at rest even when my body isn’t.
Our minds will run rampant with what ifs and what next, but God is a God of right now. And right now, He says to keep our minds on Him. When we do, peace will fill the mind that only comes from Him.
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7. The Good Shepherd Leads to Rest
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).
Let’s finish our journey of trusting God for rest in a very familiar place in the Bible – Psalm 23. Often, if our sleep is struggling it is because we are in need of something. You could say we are in a spirit of wanting. David makes it clear, that with the Shepherd, his soul doesn’t need anything except to be with the Shepherd.
I want you to consider what you need right now. I know you might have real needs, but for just a moment think about your need for the Savior, your Shepherd. David compels us to remember that it is the Shepherd that leads us beside the still water and makes us lie down in the green grass. The resting, the laying down comes in wanting to be with the Shepherd and letting Him lead.
I know your sleep might not be transformed immediately by thinking on these verses, but your soul rest can be. God’s Word has the power to transform your restlessness into true rest. Lean in and let God’s powerful Word transform your mind and heart. Try saying this prayer:
Lord, I’m tired. My body needs sleep, but more than that, my soul needs peace. Help me to trust Your promises and rest in Your presence. Quiet my mind and settle my heart. Thank You for being the Shepherd who leads me beside still waters. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Related article: 5 Peaceful Prayers to End Your Day with God
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