You are reading this right now because you are, well, awake. I don’t know what time it currently is for you as you read this. But the fact that you are awake may be a good thing, or it may be because you are wide awake with the glow of your screen on your face as you doom-scroll through your phone because you can’t sleep right now.
Generally, I know we don’t get enough sleep on average. (And – sad news here – it apparently doesn’t work to try and “catch up” on missed sleep on the weekend!) It seems the average American gets about 5.7 hours of sleep when we need 7 to 9 hours a night. How’s your sleep? I know mine has increasingly struggled, some weeks better than others. But I average about 6 to 6.5 hours sleep a night (I am not sure how much of that is actually sleeping).
I have been reading a book lately called, “Reset” by David Murray and he clearly addresses sleep. Here is a portion of what he writes:
“Few things are as theological as sleep. Show me your sleep pattern and I’ll show you your theology, because we all preach a sermon in and by our sleep. For example, if we pride ourselves on sleeping only five hours a night, we preach the following truths:
I don’t trust God with my work, my church, or my family. Sure, I believe God is sovereign, but he needs all the help I can give him. If I don’t do the work, who will? Although Christ has promised to build his church, who’s doing the night shift?
I don’t respect how my Creator has made me. I am strong enough to cope without God’s gift of sufficient daily sleep (Ps. 3:5; 4:8). I refuse to accept my creaturely limitations and bodily needs (Ps. 127:1–2). I see myself more as a machine than a human being.
I don’t believe that the soul and body are linked. I can neglect my body and my soul will not suffer. I can weaken my body and not weaken my mind, conscience, and will.
I don’t need to demonstrate my rest in Christ. Although the Bible repeatedly portrays salvation as rest, I’ll let others do the resting. I want people to know how busy, important, and zealous I am. That’s far more important than the daily demonstration of Christ’s salvation in when and how I rest.
I worship idols. What I do instead of sleep shines a spotlight on my idols, whether it be late-night football, surfing the Internet, ministry success, or promotion. Why sleep when it does nothing to burnish my reputation or advance my glory?
What sermon are you preaching in your sleep?”
This just has me thinking about my own patterns and thinking on something as important as sleep. I think we often try and cover up our sleep deprivation by drinking coffee or energy drinks. But I think we may be masking a more serious problem by doing so. What do you think about your own habits?
Psalm 127:2 says this, “In vain you get up early and stay up late, working hard to have enough food— yes, He gives sleep to the one He loves.”
Sometimes in the middle of the night as my heart is heavy in thought and anxieties I remind Him of this verse.
I am having to take stock of my own life and sleep and my dependence on the Lord. I encourage you to do the same. He literally made us to sleep, to try and circumvent how He made us puts us in the driver’s seat – that’s not where we want to be!
May He grow us as a people who trust Him with all of our schedules. May He help us to release to Him what we watch, when to turn things off, and when to sleep.
Nighty, night.
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