Can’t Sleep at Night
Have you ever spent the night – staring at the clock – calculating how many more hours until you get up and panicking about how little sleep you are getting?
Sometimes I fall asleep, but can’t stay asleep. I wake up and my mind starts working too soon and I want to desperately fall back asleep, but I just can’t. I’m in my bed for 7 to 8 hours but not actually sleeping!
One thing that has worked – instead of counting sheep – is meditating on God’s Word and repeating certain verses over and over in my head to stop my mind from thinking too much. Below I’ll share a few of the verses I like to refer to and also what God’s Word says about sleep.
Here’s 10 Verses for When You Can’t Sleep at Night
1.) All of Psalm chapter 23 is a huge comfort! Here’s just one of the 6 verses from that Psalm.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
~Psalm 23:4
2.) Tell your mind and emotions to be still. Trust in God.
Be still, and know that I am God.
~Psalm 46:10
3.) God does not sleep so we CAN sleep. We can rest in Him.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
~Psalm 121:1-4
4.) When we cry out to the Lord – He hears and He sustains us.
I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah
5 I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
~Psalm 3:4-5
5.) Jesus commands that we do not worry about tomorrow. We need to obey this.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
~Matthew 6:34
6.) As we lay in bed – God is present with us. We are never alone.
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
~Psalm 46:1
7.) When we walk in God’s wisdom and ways, we have nothing to fear. Sleep should be sweet.
If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
~Proverbs 3:24
8.) We are not donkeys. We are not meant to be burden bearers. We are sheep.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
~Matthew 11:28,29
9.) Rising early and staying up late, running ourselves ragged with anxiety, is not God’s will for our lives. Rest is a gift.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
~Psalm 127:2
10.) Embrace the peace of Christ and let it rule in your heart tonight.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.
~Colossians 3:15