Do You Have "Wide Awake" Parties at Night?

My Mom was a light sleeper. I was a sound sleeper, but over the years, I've found myself waking up more often, and even after only about 6 hours of sleep at night, I'm wide awake. There's plenty of traits my Mom had that I want, but not that one. I was telling my mom-in-law about my sleep patterns and she boasted of falling asleep before her head even hits her pillow, and doesn't wake up until she's had a good 8 or 9 hours of sleep (except for the usual bathroom breaks in the night). With all the other physical issues she's had, I'm so thankful, sleep isn't one of them!

I'll force my eyes shut, try to shut down my mind, say my alphabet acronyms: "A = awesome God, B = beautiful Savior, C = Christ before me, etc., and often, I'll fall back asleep. But what if there's something more to consider? I really do want to follow King David's lead when he said “I lie awake thinking of You, meditating on You through the night. Because You are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.” Psalm 63:6-7. King David penned those words in the wilderness, on the run from a vast army led by his own rebellious son. Yikes! If there were ever a moment to be up at night worrying, this would be it.

David did lie awake at night, but not for the reasons we’d expect. Instead of fearing for his life or devising a plan of escape, he couldn’t stop thinking about God.

What if God's plans for us are nighttime meditations, like King David experienced? The Creator of the universe, and the Creator of you and me, just might want our undivided attention, and what better time to have that attention, than when we're not distracted by phone calls and Instagram and Facebook and "to do" lists and emails?

I've made up my mind, if God is wanting one-on-one time with me and the best time is in the middle of the night, then so be it! When I find myself tossing and turning, just maybe God is stirring my nest to teach me something. Instead of counting sheep, and saying alphabet acronyms, the best thing to do is count on God's faithfulness, His power and provision. It's humorous to consider that God is watching me toss and turn, trying so hard to fall asleep, when He has nuggets of wisdom to share with me. Just maybe, instead of forcing myself to sleep, maybe I should plan a "Wide Awake" Party to "party" with my Creator!

Can't Sleep? Talk to Me. -- God

On my FB message yesterday, a couple of people commented that it was just the words they needed. My response? "Me, too! I typically post with what I need the most!" In all seriousness, my daily posts are the words I'm sending out to you AND me!

A friend came over yesterday. She was discouraged and was filled with all kinds of negative emotions. Oh, I know those emotions, and when we succomb to them, they can overwhelm us. In fact, during the nighttime is when they have usually come "knocking on my heart's door". I tell you what I told her. Instead of continuing to lay there wollering in the funk and despair, I do what I've told you before. I toss those doubts and fears away like a "hot potato". I do that by getting up, and going to my "prayer" chair. Though it's usually 3 am in the morning, I read my devotion, read my chapters in the Bible (I'm reading through the Bible this year), and I pray. After an hour or so of "fixing my eyes Who is my burden bearer", I go back to bed and get the rest of the sleep I needed. The scripture that applies to that routine is "Him/Her I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon Me." Isaiah 26:3. Getting my eyes and heart off of me and my concerns, and fixing them on Him for that hour of time, gets me back to peace.

I found that when the storms come, it's just our human nature to have the mindset that, "I've got to figure this out. I've got to work this out on my own!" And, oftentimes, praying and seeking God for the answer is the last thing we do to escape our storms. "Well, I've tried everything else.....so as a last resort, "I'll ask God for help!"

The disciples knew Jesus was on land and they discounted the fact that He was the authentic, unparalled STORM CHASER and PEACE MAKER. They toiled and feared, but Christ was praying on the shore for them because He saw the storm come up. And we should realize that He sees and knows the storms we're going through and He is hearing our prayers in the midst of OUR storms.

We can know this: There is no difficulty in life that is stronger than Jesus. We can face our difficult times with courage because He promised to ALWAYS be with us! I love knowing that His peace is ours in the midst of our storms....and how reassuring to know that right behind this storm is a rainbow of blessing! He promised it, and I've come to count on it!