Each day I think tonight will be the night I’ll finally drift into peaceful slumber as soon as my head hits the pillow, and find the calm my soul and body craves. But instead, night after night, an overactive imagination has other ideas, refusing to put the cares of the day to rest.
Maybe it’s a vitamin or mineral deficiency, or perhaps too much caffeine?
Whatever the case, pale moonlight slips through the bedroom window as the tossing, turning and adjusting of bed sheets take their toll once again.
It hasn’t always been like this, but of late that all too familiar transition between wakefulness and sleep is where defenses fall, unlocking a vulnerable place for fear and worry to slip through the darkness unbidden, and the heart of the problem doesn’t lie in loss of sleep alone. The true unsettling is that of a restless mind.
Maybe you experience it too?
Sometimes I think it’s simply a physical need of finding the right solution through a proper balance of nutrition and exercise, but at other times I wonder if it’s something deeper, something that needs to be addressed at a soul level.
When sleep hovers, but refuses to come close, distracted thoughts filter in from all angles, and if you’re anything like me, questions we rarely want to face in the light of day bubble to the surface.
Niggling insecurities. Troubled thoughts. Doubt. Fear. Concern for the well being of family and friends in a world filled with turmoil.
From my pillow, I brush at a loose strand of hair, one simple question suddenly pushing through the others.
What went well today?
Four simple words. But it’s just the change of focus I need, the subtle turning point to shift gears on this runaway train of thoughts.
What blessing can I dwell upon?
Thoughts are the seeds that set a pattern for our frame of mind, and those that are nourished are the ones that will grow. It’s not a big secret, really, but have you noticed how this important truth can get lost in the noise of life?
When your guard is down, it’s easy to give way to worry and forget about the positive aspects of each day.
I want to do better. I want to unearth the goodness.
Maybe it will always be a work in progress, but when sleepless nights threaten, these days I’m learning a simple shift in outlook can lead to a transformed thought life, resulting in less stress and more peace of mind.
Even with so many valid cares and concerns in the middle of our everyday moments, we have a choice about what is allowed to take front and center stage in the quiet, hidden places of the heart, and we have a choice to surrender all the things that cause our pulse to quicken and our minds to race.
In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report; if there by any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:6-8
How we think will determine how we are, and in the darkness, I’ve found simply letting go of unruly thoughts is a start.
But it isn’t always enough. They must also be replaced through a slow, deliberate sifting, in order to embrace hope and bridge the gap from anxiety to peace.
Can we take the first step?
With deep, grateful breaths, let’s find the good. And settle there. Let’s unwind with thankful hearts, and choose to focus on what went well, along with the beautiful expectation of what is possible when our focus is on Christ.
Sleep may not come right away, but on a restless night, the peace of His rest is the most important ingredient of all.
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