From http://solofemininity.blogs.com
Sometimes I have a weird guilt trip at the end of the day. As the evening winds down, I realize I haven't written a blog post for the next day. I am tempted then to stay up to meet some self-imposed publishing deadline (which, sadly, I have actually done). Other times, I have to talk myself down and remind myself there's no need to sacrifice sleep for a voluntary activity. Reality check! The day is done. No one is going to die if a blog post isn't written. Go to sleep.
Scripture says sleep is God's gift to us (Psalm 127:2). But the temptation in our 24-hour culture is to ignore our creaturely limitations and try to live in a caffeine-fueled, sleep-deprived state. This is unwise for many reasons. Recent scientific research has shown the myriad benefits of getting at least seven hours of sleep, if not more. Our bodies need sleep, as do our minds. It's common knowledge that attempts at late-night conflict resolution are unwise--when we're weary, we lack clarity and self-control to resolve our disagreements. Now science is confirming that sleep-deprivation also affects moral judgments.
Sleep is one of those boundaries given to the finite creature from the all-sufficient, benevolent Creator. God has designed sleep to restore our health, bolster our learning, and process our memories. I think He has also given us sleep in order to rest and trust in Him as He works out the details of our lives. Lydia Brownback wrote about this when she addressed the flip-side of sleep-deprivation--anxiety-driven insomnia.
But if God is the one who makes us dwell in safety, what are lying awake worrying about? Maybe we are worried that God's idea of safety differs from ours. We have our agenda, and we often are pretty set on how things should all work out, and, of course, there are no guarantees that life is going to go our way when we get up in the morning. Or could it be that we have too much to do because we are taking on more than God has called us to carry? He has given us six days each week in which to labor; doesn't it stand to reason that a good God won't give us ten days' worth to accomplish in those six days?
There are some seasons of life in which sleeplessness may be an unavoidable factor for women, times such as caring for a newborn or for a family member with a critical illness. I believe God will supply sustaining grace for those needs. But when we lose sleep in order to strike something off our To Do lists or to entertain anxiety (I'm preaching to myself now, too!), we're ignoring a fundamental truth: we're finite and we're never going to get everything done on our agendas. Only God will accomplish all that He has declared will come to pass. This is the province of an infinite, all-knowing, all-sufficient Being. That should humble us and encourage us at the same time, for this is also the One who lovingly watches over us as we sleep (Psalm 4:8).
Sweet dreams!
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