Lord, Help Me Sleep!, July 28
Daily Reflections from Inside the Cancer Journey
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Written by David Gira
“It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?” (Psalm 127:2 MSG)
Cancer can make sleeping difficult. Worries, anxieties, and fears can keep you tossing and turning all night. Racing thoughts, physical pain, side effects of drugs, and plenty of other things can keep you up at night.
Psalm 127 reminds us that sleep, like so many things in life, is something we cannot provide for ourselves. I cannot make myself go to sleep or stay asleep. Sometimes I need God to give sleep, especially when things are hard. He delights for us to look to Him to meet our needs from A to Zzzzzzs!
In this Psalm the author envisions a city protected by God, homes built by God, and children as a gift from God. We toil in vain if we try to achieve these things by our own effort. Rest, including sleep, is also a gift from God.
We can do things to increase our likelihood of sleeping well—no screen time before bed, not eating too late, and other sleep aids. But the most important thing we can do is entrust everything to God.
Many parents have prayed with their children at bedtime, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.”1 This simple prayer encourages children of all ages to trust God.
Even for grownups, bedtime remains a very important time to pray. We can lay down our bodies and all our concerns into the Father’s loving hands. Doing so tucks us in and prepares us for the rest God alone can give, rest that is both physical and spiritual.
Jesus invites us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29 NIV).
When we spiritually rest, we can more easily physically rest. When I remember God has the whole world, including me, in His hands, I can stop, close my eyes, and let myself fall asleep.
For several months following one cancer procedure, I struggled to sleep. One evening, as I lay down in bed, the message on a picture hanging on the wall over my wife’s side of the bed caught my eye: “If you love me, let me sleep.” (My wife had carefully placed this picture where the kids and I would see it. She meant it!)
The words captivated me. I pleaded to the Lord, "If You love me, please let me sleep. I know You do and know You can. And Your Word says You enjoy giving it.”
Somehow, in that sleepless season, God patched together enough sleep for me to face each day. I believe watching me sleep pleased God, as it would any loving parent. If cancer is keeping you up, God can help you lay down and sleep, AND He will enjoy doing it!
Pray: Lord, cancer makes it hard to sleep. Please help me put all my trust in You and give me the sleep I need. Amen.
Your Turn: At bedtime tonight, do something that encourages you to think about God and to trust Him. Pray, spend a few minutes reading scripture or a devotional, listen to a worship song, or whatever works for you. And ask God to give you a good night’s sleep.
1. “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.” Wikipedia, July 11, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Now_I_Lay_Me_Down_to_Sleep.
Michael David Gira, Jr., Cancer Survivor
David was an ordained United Methodist Pastor and graduate of Duke Divinity School. He and his wife, Amy, lived in Raleigh, North Carolina with their three children. In 2017 he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. In his book, How Cancer Cured Me, he shares many ways he experienced God’s healing. After a 7 year battle with cancer, David is now joyously singing praises in God’s glorious throne room. His legacy lives on through his writing for Cancer Companions, as he continues to proclaim Christ’s hope and healing power to others experiencing cancer. https://www.davidgira.com/how-cancer-cured-me
Cancer Companion’s vision for the future is for every person impacted by cancer to know the hope, love, and grace of Jesus and that every oncology team has included faith in their treatment toolbox. By 2033, Cancer Companions will provide 5 million engagements through cancer prayers, scriptures and interactions to those impacted by cancer. Engagements include; social media outreach, e-newsletters, prayer team requests, 30 days of Cancer Prayer event, and volunteer connections.
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