I often have trouble sleeping. I fall asleep quickly but wake up over and over during the night, each time struggling to return to sleep. In the past, the thoughts that would keep me up were about tasks I had yet to accomplish. I would lie awake with a lengthening to-do list swirling in my head.

One day I read that it can be helpful to leave a small notebook by the bed so when those to-dos come to mind, they can be noted and forgotten until morning. I tried that, and it actually worked. Once the fear of forgetting to do something evaporated, so did my sleeplessness.

But my brain soon found a new way to disrupt my sleep. Instead of dwelling on things I needed to do, I started just to think of stuff I could worry about, things I had little-to-no control over.

I would fret about things I had said and wished I hadn’t. Or things I wished I’d said instead. I worried about various outcomes of upcoming events. I’d make up the worst possible results and worry about that new future.

In the dark watches of the night, I am very adept at discovering new ways to worry.

But a good friend reminded me to reach out to God in those times. God tells His people, many, many times, to lay our burdens at His feet and trust Him (1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 68:19, Matthew 6:34, Proverbs 3:5, and more).

So I started using God the way I used my little bedside notebook. When worries plague my sleep, I practice turning to God in prayer. I tell Him what I am worried about. I thank Him for His promise to care for me and be with me no matter what. And I tell Him I trust Him enough to go back to sleep now. And I quite often do.

God wants His children to have peace, joy, and a refreshing night’s sleep. He created sleep and intended His people to rest from all their labor regularly.

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.” (Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭9,‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

When I trust God, His love, and His perfect plan, I can rest. I can do all He gives me to do and not worry about anything while I’m resting. Many things are beyond my control, but nothing is beyond God’s power. I don’t know what the future will hold, but I know my loving God will be there just as He is today. So I can rest now, and look forward to a more perfect rest to come.

Dear God, thank you so much for modeling rest for us in the creation story. You showed us, and you tell us over and over how important rest is. You even put rest in the first of your commands to us. Please forgive my busy, worrying mind. Teach me to trust you at all times. Show me how to accomplish the important things you plan for me today and to leave the rest in your loving and capable hands.