Hand it Over

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

We all appreciated the benefits of a good night sleep and the ability to sleep soundly throughout the night. Sometimes though, the minute we get into bed our mind goes into overdrive. Fears and worries that were pushed down in the chaos of the day resurface and play havoc with our sleep. Every ‘what-if’ scenario gets replayed over and over; we toss and turn looking for rest but it seems to have left the room.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” The Lord knows how difficult it is for us to let go of our concerns completely, but he wants us to know that we can hand over our fears and worries to him every night with confidence. It is not wrong to have concerns but it is damaging to let them overwhelm us. Our bodies need sleep in order to function properly. So, if that sleep is being disrupted because of worry, we really do need to hand it over to God, even if it is only for the night.

Before you get into bed tonight, ask the Lord to look after your worries and your fears and then trust that they are now in his control until the morning. Allow him to fill the crevices of your mind with the calm of his voice as he speaks over you, “Peace, be still.” You are safe in his care; you are safe to lie down and sleep. Let the peace of God wash over you and let his love watch over you. When the morning comes, talk to the Lord before taking all your worries back.

Consider what you want to carry into your day – maybe you can allow the Lord to look after some of your concerns for a little while longer.