I have to admit, I love to sleep. I do not function well when I do not get enough sleep. Even though I love to sleep, I have always had a hard time with it. I lay down but it takes me a long time to fall asleep and I wake up several times in the night. A few years ago, we purchased a new bed and I slept great! For awhile. Then my sleepless night came back.
Lying awake makes me angry. Why am I awake? I want to sleep! I should be sleeping right now! The alarm clock goes off way to early for me to be lying there wide awake!Last night I was awake most of the night. Around midnight, after lying there for three hours, I was getting so frustrated so I prayed, "God please just let me fall asleep!" That is when I heard Him say, "No, I need you to pray!" You see, a young man in our church youth group was killed in a horrible accident last week, God wanted me to pray for his family. So, I prayed. I prayed for his family, for our youth group, for his friends, for everyone involved. Then tried to sleep. Again, I couldn't. God told me I wasn't done yet. So I kept praying.
Yes, I got up in the morning tired. But let me tell you something, obedience is better than sacrifice.
How many times over the years of sleepless night did God want me to intercede for someone, but I ignored it. I was selfish and wanted to sleep and did not listen to Him. It breaks my heart.
Many times in my life someone would pop in to my mind out of the blue. I would think, oh I wonder how they are. But the truth is God wanted me to pray for them. This is something that had never occurred to me until recently.
When someone comes to mind, for no reason at all, maybe God is wanting you to pray for them. When you lie away at night unable to sleep, maybe God is wanting you to intercede for someone. We may never know why they needed our prayers right then, but we need to be willing to obey God and just pray.
When someone comes to your mind today, take a moment to stop and pray for them.
Sweet Blessings~
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I love your blog, Jenifer. I have done the same thing as you, I am tired and I want to sleep. Like you, the truth was God wanted me to pray, sometimes for others and sometimes He just wanted me to talk to Him. I remember the first time I realized what was going on, when I got through praying I went right to sleep and when I woke up that morning I felt so refreshed. It isn't always that way but I think God was letting me know I needed to start praying when I couldn't sleep. I have prayed for this young man and his family and when I finish I feel at peace for them. What a tragic loss. Thanks for reminding us we just need to pray when we can't sleep, we need to obey. Blessings and love you.
ReplyDeleteMmm, good thoughts and insight here. When I am awake at night, I often pray to fall asleep, too, when I should probably be pryaing for what is keeping me awake - a relationship problem, etc. Or, I should be praying for someone hurting even more than I am at the moment. Good post.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I've also laid awake at night when I'd rather be sleeping! I've had to get up and write and I've had to pray. Sometimes I think God disturbs my sleep because it's the only quiet time where He can get through! Blessings for a wonderful day... despite your tired eyes :)
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about that too as I was lying in bed, unable to sleep. I want to say Yes to God no matter what time of day or night He calls.
ReplyDeletethere was a reason I stopped by here today...you see I had a night just like yours! I was up...I remember looking at the clock at 4:33...ugh! So I will be tired for sure. I need to remember to that like your post, God is trying to get 'through' to me and I NEED to listen. thank you sweetheart.
ReplyDeleteWow, I loved this post. I too need my sleep and get very frustrated when I can't fall asleep and do not function well if I don't sleep. I loved your thoughts on listening to the thoughts sent from God and then acting upon them. A very wise woman said once: "Never suppress a generous thought". by Marjorie Pay Hinckley. I love your thoughts today.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you! LeAnn
I couldn't sleep last night either...I do somewhat contribute mine to the full-blast of coffee I had about 7pm, but I do agree with you about the praying thing. I've had random people come to my mind before...some I haven't thought of in years. Sometimes I'd think to pray for them, but I am going to be more intentional about it.
ReplyDeleteAs a chronic insomniac Jenifer, I understand the frustration completely. What I've found quite often though, is that in the Stillness of the night I can actually hear Him much more clearly. Is that his intention for me being awake? Very possibly... Either way, I try to take advantage of that time to commune with Him whenever possible. Tired, but obedient. :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a Blessed Day!
I totally agree with you. There were older people whom I knew from the past that whenever you woke up in the wee hours of the morning, they said God is waking you up., that you have to talk to him or pray to him. Some say you must meditate. Because thats the best time to talk to him.
ReplyDeleteKeep on praying for others!
Alex