Last night was a tough night. I couldn’t sleep if you paid me. I went to bed late after turning off the Dodger game; they were getting creamed by the A’s. Not that that was what kept me up. I can handle a loss, that happens. I had actually fallen right to sleep. But I woke up after a couple of hours and couldn’t get back to sleep. Then 1 AM turned into 2, then 3 turned into 4. Nothing.
I had been dreaming about one of our Sunday School students. We were in class, as usual, and working through the lesson. Just your normal Sunday. When I woke up, the child remained on my heart. I’ve always felt that when God places someone in my dreams, often He wants me to pray for them. So, I did. I hope they are doing well today and whatever issue they may have been facing has passed.
Being obedient to prayer did not solve my insomnia issue, though. Usually, it would. But I stared at the wall debating world issues, how to end my next novel, and thinking that the ceiling fan needed greasing. Have you had nights like this?
I finally got up, retrieved my phone, and began to swipe through my current read. I wish I could say that I immediately jumped into God’s word. Perhaps that is what I should’ve done. But I didn’t. I let my curiosity of what Coriolanus Snow was up to. I am reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The story of a young President Snow of the Hunger Games.
Our minds can ramble, I suppose much like I am rambling right now. And it can be difficult to keep up with them. Sometimes we can be stubborn to what keeps our minds occupied, and other times we can give in and allow whatever is stirring to be silenced.
I don’t know if opening God’s word would’ve given me peace last night. Perhaps it would’ve. I know it has in the past. I just know that I allowed my humanity to win over. We all do that. I am a weak human. But just as Paul spoke of after talking about how sinful we are, we are under no condemnation when we are under Christ Jesus!! This is an encouragement but also a challenge for me the next time I am faced with a sleepless night.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” – Romans 8:1
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Moments for the Heart 