Sleep

Sleep. At times I have regarded it as a necessary evil. You know those times like Christmas Eve when you are six, the night before your birthday (again when you are six), or the night before a major academic or professional deadline. Other times, sleep offers a vital reprieve from the mental and physical demands of life allowing our bodies and minds to renew. I finally engaged in some much needed renewal today.

Nausea scored a point this morning bringing me to my knees at the porcelain throne. So, I spent much of the afternoon resting. To this point, I have not been able to fully relax and get rest. Now, I think I am beginning to settle in to this new normal. The hospital isn’t as strange. I recognize my nurses by their eyes. And, my routine has brought stability and confidence to each passing day.

I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Daniel in scripture. The king had a dream and demanded its interpretation. All the wise men of the land were tasked with presenting an interpretation, among them Daniel. According to scripture, Daniel was informed that he must have an explanation on penalty of death. His response, sleep.

Merely to avoid embarrassment and much less death, I will stay up all night to finish a project or identify solutions to time sensitive problems. Daniel, simply went to bed. I’m sure God had His hand in calming the storm so Daniel could sleep. And, it was through his sleep that God revealed the needed interpretation. Nonetheless, this guy had his life threatened and then seemingly hopped into bed.

A lesson to be applied in my life? Yes. Consistently, I find that my perspective on current battles is much improved after getting some good sleep. Whether it is the physical benefit of renewal or the spiritual benefit of placing the battle in God’s hand, a little sleep makes a tremendous difference.

”In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8