There was a very valuable lesson I learned when I was being discipled by a friend a few years ago that I often like to encourage others with. Many nights before bed, I ask the Lord to speak and to minister to me while I am sleeping. The nights that I do, I can tell you that I am never disappointed. We spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping, so why wouldn't the Lord take advantage of that time especially when our heart is at rest?
But what about those sleepless nights?
Monday night, I had the opportunity to spend some time catching up with a few of my beloved sisters in Christ. My friend, Kim, was sharing that recently she was having trouble sleeping. She was waking up in the night and couldn't go back to sleep for long periods of time. Kim, being a full time wife and mother like me, understands that sleep is golden. She shared a common frustration of asking the Lord, 'Why can't I sleep? You know I need the rest.'
The story of Samuel quickly came to mind and I shared that maybe the Lord was awaking her so that He could speak.
1Samuel 3: Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.
2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” 5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.
6 Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”
Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”
7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lordbefore. 8 So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.
10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”
And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
Recently, I have had the same problem for weeks now. It happens almost every night where I awaken sometime between the hours of 1:30-3:30am and I can not go back to sleep. I have completely chalked it up to my erratic hormones of being newly pregnant, but this morning the thought hit me...
I'm not exempted from the Samuel story, hormones and all. God doesn't waste our time. He knows I need the rest. He controls my [crazy] hormones. Maybe He is trying to speak to me also!
Talk about a 'Duh!' moment!
So the next night I spend frustratingly fighting with my pillows and trying to find that invisible comfy spot in the bed, I'm going to open up my heart, "Speak, your servant is listening," and connect with the heart of my Creator!
Maybe sweet sleep and rest will quickly find me after! ;)
