When You Can’t Sleep

You know the scenario well. You’ve worked, chased kids, shopped, cleaned, and cooked. Now you’re ready to collapse into bed. Barely able to hold your eyes open, you long for the moment when blessed sleep will carry you away. If all goes as planned, in seven or eight hours, you’ll awaken refreshed and ready to face a new day.

Except sometimes, sleep doesn’t come. Instead of slipping into restful unconsciousness, you stare at the ceiling. You pull the covers tighter, then fling them to the side. Wiggle. Squirm. Stretch. 

An hour—or three—later, you’re no closer to falling asleep than when you laid down. Now you’re not only sleepless, you’re anxious. How am I going to function tomorrow? I’ll be dragging by lunchtime. I’ll probably have a headache too. And dark circles under my eyes. Why can’t I fall asleeeeeeep?

Sleeplessness is relatively new to me. Hard work and long days have always made Ecclesiastes 5:12 true in my life: “Sweet is the sleep of a laborer” (ESV). Lately, however, long nights of rest have become more elusive. 

At first, I lamented those sleepless hours. Sometimes I still do. But as I laid in bed one night wishing I could fall asleep, I realized that if God is sovereign over my days, He’s also sovereign over my nights. Asaph the psalmist declared, “Yours is the day, yours also the night” (Psalm 74:16, ESV).

If I could eagerly embrace Psalm 127:2, that God “gives his beloved sleep,” (NKJV) could I not also embrace that sometimes God doesn’t give his beloved sleep? That perhaps God has a purpose for my sleeplessness?

The Gift of Sleeplessness

What if, instead of lamenting my inability to sleep, I embraced it as a gift—something sent by a loving God for good purposes? 

I admit, this took some effort. It’s hard to endure, let alone embrace sleeplessness when you’re exhausted. But striving, fretting, and lamenting its absence only wasted precious energy. 

God Doesn’t Clock Out 

As I study the Bible, especially the Psalms, I discover that God doesn’t clock out at 10 pm. He’s just as present in the night as in the day. Psalm 139:11–12 declares, “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you.” Lights on or lights off, God is there. Knowing this helps me feel less lonely when the rest of the world slumbers and I lay awake.

Sleepless Nights Don’t Have to Be Wasted Nights

Before I studied sleep Scriptures, I considered every sleepless hour a wasted one, but I was wrong. These hours can become some of our most productive ones—if we spend them well. 

Three Ways to Redeem Our Sleepless Hours

1. Meditate on God’s Promises

   Psalm 119:148 gives us a peek into one of the psalmist’s sleepless nights, “My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise” (ESV). In the quiet moments between dusk and dawn, he spent his time thinking about God’s promises. 

   Perhaps he repeated Deuteronomy 31:8, “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Or Psalm 32:8: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

   Some of my favorite promises to think on are James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (ESV), and Philippians 1:6: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (ESV).

   Meditating on God’s promises in the quiet of the night helps banish our fears and reminds us of truth.

2. Examine Our Hearts

   The silence of a quiet night invites biblical introspection. David asked the Lord in Psalm 139:23–24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (ESV)!” We can (and should) do the same. 

   When God brings to mind a secret (or not so secret) sin, we can confess it, forsake it, and receive God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Doing this often brings about the relief and sweet sleep we desire. God disturbed King David’s sleep (Psalm 32:4) to lead him to confess his sin and receive forgiveness (Psalm 32:5).

   Time alone with our thoughts can also invite the enemy’s attack. How do we distinguish between God’s voice and Satan’s? God reveals our sin (conviction) so He can cleanse and restore us. Satan accuses us to condemn and destroy us. Ask yourself, “Am I feeling condemnation or conviction,” then respond appropriately.

3. Praise and Pray

   David, in Psalm 63:5–7 gives us a blueprint for how to praise and pray to God, “My mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.”

   Sleepless hours can be powerful hours when we turn our thoughts toward God in prayer and praise. When we recount God’s attributes, we gain a proper perspective of our problems in light of who God is. Reminding ourselves that God is mighty, loving, patient, kind, sovereign, generous, just, and all-knowing makes our spirits soar instead of sink. Tears of gratitude replace tears of frustration and laughter banishes languishing.

   These night hours can also become holy battle grounds when we wrestle, as Jacob did, for God to bless us and those we love (Genesis 32:22–26). I’m often amazed at who God brings to mind when I ask Him to show me who needs my prayers. I’ll think of college friends, church members from years ago, and random people I haven’t seen in decades. I receive each name from the Lord and pray as He leads me. 

More Time to Pray

Most of us wish we had more time to pray. Perhaps sleepless hours are God’s answer to our busy, prayer-deprived lives. I don’t often have the luxury of an uninterrupted hour or two (or three) to pray for my family, friends, church members, neighbors, missionaries, and governmental leaders, but my sleepless nights grant me this time. When the world is still, and I’m alone with God, I can pray marvelous blessings into these precious people’s lives. Almost every night I pray the prayer John Piper prayed over his children, “Lord, even in their sleep, draw them to you.”

Sleepless Nights Aren’t My Favorite

I’ll be the first to admit that sleepless nights aren’t my favorite. But I’ve chosen to accept them as gifts rather than grief. They’ve allowed me more opportunities to ponder God’s promises, cleanse my heart before Him, and pray His power into our hurting world. As I do, the sweet Spirit of God refreshes me in ways I can’t describe. Even when my body wilts with weariness, my spirit stands strong. 

The next time you toss and turn in sleeplessness, I encourage you to turn your heart toward God. Pillow your head on His chest, whisper into His ear, and feel His arms hold you close.

Glory in His presence. Rest in His love. 

“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” (Matthew 11:28–29, ESV).

–Written by Lori Hatcher. Used by permission from the author.