let go and sleep

Saying goodnight to my husband I settle into my pillow, scrunching it 3-4 times.  I yank the covers up under my chin, dodge the kitty that dons the end of the bed, and stretch my feet out. Breathing deeply I sink into the bed and my eyelids feel heavy.  Snuggled in and exhausted, it's the perfect marriage for sleep.  But then there is my brain.  With hundreds of thoughts floating around my head, I lay awake wishing for an option to remove my brain and set it on the nightstand.  Frustrated, I yearn to get rid of my thoughts until I wake fully rested.  But here's the thing - I can do that. I can pass off my thoughts to someone else who can guard them so that I can sleep. 2 Timothy 1:12b says, 

"...I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day."

This is a truth that is essential for me to remember.  God created sleep for us to rest, for us to "lie down and sleep in peace" as Psalm 4:8 says, and the best way for me to do that is to let go of all my thoughts, worries, cares, and entrust them into His hands as I snuggle in. 

Thinking about my challenge last week to memorize scripture, to focus on verses that address areas of struggle, this verse from 2 Timothy is a perfect example.  I want to store this verse in my memory so that when I lay awake in the middle of the night, mind captivated by the endless to-do list, I can speak truth to myself saying "I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day" and then do exactly that - relinquish all my thoughts into His hands.

I want to fully enjoy the blessing of sleep and rest as God intended, and I think 2 Timothy 1:12 is going to help.  I know that scripture is not a magical, make things happen as soon as you say it sort of thing, but there is incredible value to speaking His word out loud and really visualizing placing everything in the Lord's trustworthy hands.  

God is ready and able to guard anything and everything we release into His control, now all we have to do is loosen our grip and entrust it to Him.  Whether struggling with quieting your thoughts in the middle of the night, or worrying throughout the day, my prayer is that you too might embrace the truth from 2 Timothy.  

** Are you memorizing anything this week?  I'd love to know what scriptures speak to you in your struggles! **

- image by Roost Photography -