One of the most peaceful and calming things to look at is a sleeping child. A baby or kid who is dozing off, seems to be so carefree, so rested — the exact opposite of an insomniac in the middle of the night wondering when he could finally get some sleep.
The bible says “there is no rest for the wicked.” In Isaiah Chapter 57, where God described peace and restoration for His people, He mentioned that He will give peace to the humble and contrite, yet He will not give those who do not want to repent, the peace they need in their hearts.
“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked.” Isaiah 57:20-21
Once we understand this Biblical truth, we will realize why there are times we lose sleep. We literally cannot experience the peace-like sleep of babies, because our minds are racing about so many things.
If we reflect on the human experience, whether ours or others’, we can say that most of the time people cannot sleep because of overthinking, stress, anxiety, regrets, worries, guilt, anger, sin and shame. There is literally no rest for a person harboring those in their heart whether in their waking state or when they try to doze off at night.
When we rebel against God and consciously commit sins because we are giving into our own will, we become the wicked people described in the above passage. And once we are tormented by the natural consequences of what we have done, plus the guilt that we incur against God and the people we have hurt, we start to lose sleep. We may also get worried about the thought of divine justice coming upon us that we cannot calm ourselves down and we cannot relax our minds.
“He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.” Psalm 36:4
The Bible however is quick to tell us how we can get over this restlessness: We humble ourselves before the Lord, and offer Him our contrite hearts. In the same chapter, God said:
“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit; to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made.” Isaiah 57:15-16
Indeed, having a clear conscience is an antidote to sleeplessness. We attain a clear conscience and be right with the Lord when we seek God’s forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
So how do we humble ourselves and offer our contrite hearts before the Lord? Well, we start with sincere praying. We confess our sins to God, and promise to turn away from our sinfulness, and make some reparations if possible.
We then devote ourselves to knowing God more by intentionally spending time with Him in prayer, and reading and reflecting on His words. We also grow our faith by studying the bible with other fellow believers, and weekly worshipping in Church. Of course, we have to live our faith, and apply God’s teachings to our everyday life and honor Him with all our choices and decisions.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
When we do this, God will take notice, and in His perfect time, He will heal our hearts and minds. After all, it takes time, and of course effort on our part to build a relationship with the Lord and consciously yield to His will every day.
“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him.” Isaiah 57:18-19
When we surrender our sinful lifestyle, our idols, our worries and regrets to the author of our life, we can start sleeping again like a carefree child. Like that kid who can doze off easily in the night, and throughout the early morning sun snuggling next to his mom, we too can sleep peacefully because of the presence of our Heavenly Father in our lives.
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Isaiah 57:14-21 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: How restful is your sleep?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for offering us a way out of restlessness. Thank you for sending your Son for the forgiveness of our sins, allowing us to have a clear conscience and once again be right with You. Give us the grace to continue living to please you, and to help others know you too. Amen.
