Sleepless? Meditate & Pray

Michael W. Smith.  "Ancient Words."

Sometimes sleep does not come easily, especially if you overindulge in the news or are concerned about loved ones.  Turn over your worries to the One who knows you best and loves you most.  Perhaps your bedtime routine needs an upgrade, beyond brushing your teeth and reading a few pages?  Try adding the spiritual disciplines of meditation and prayer to your day, practiced by Christians throughout the ages.  Begin with one of the short meditation exercises below, suggested by Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline.

1. Meditate on a scripture passage by internalizing or personalizing a verse.  Let the word(s) come alive for you.  Apply your senses to a Bible story.  Take your time.  To start, try:

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I (Jesus) am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."  Matthew 11:29
“I (Jesus) have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 
 2 Timothy 1:7

2. Meditate by centering using "palms down, palms up." 
With palms down, turn over your concerns by praying along these lines: 
Lord, I give you my anger over ___,
I let go of my fear of ___,
I surrender by anxiety about ___,
I release my frustration over ___
Then turn your palms up to receive from the Lord.
Lord, I would like to receive Your ___. 
Be still.  Enjoy the silence.

3. Meditate by centering yourself and focusing on your breathing.  Inhale and exhale slowly for several minutes.  Pray along these lines:  I exhale my fear over ___.  I inhale Your peace (or light).  Be specific.  Let go of distracting thoughts.  Listen.  Give thanks as you close

4. Meditate by imagining yourself walking with God.  Picture yourself meandering along a lovely path.  Use your senses to hear the stream, feel the breeze, smell the fragrant flowers...  Visualize exploring a nearby meadow, lie down and look skyward.  Rest in God's presence.  Listen to God speak.  Let  Him instruct you, whether practical, spiritual, or silence.

5. Pray a Celtic prayer such as

"This Night
May God bless us
In our sleep with rest,
In our dreams with vision,
In our waking with a calm mind,
In our souls with the friendship of the Holy Spirit
this night and every night.
Amen."
Iona Community

or

"Deep Peace

Deep peace of the running wave to you

Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the Son of peace to you."
Scots Traditional

Resources for the journey:
Richard Foster on "The Celebration of Discipline" Part 1 of 2, Feb. 19, 2013.  [YouTube 24:35]
Foster, Richard J.  Celebration of Discipline:  The Path to Spiritual Growth. [Book]
Wallace, Martin, compiler. Pocket Celtic Prayers. 2004. [Book]

Give God Time

We listen to the news to become informed citizens, especially in a national emergency. But we would do well to give equal time or more to God.

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” Ps. 46:10

“We have a choice” as Jennie Allen tells us in her new book to stop the downward spiral of our thoughts and feelings. We can give God time. I hung a poster with these words and the image of a rowboat in my college dorm to remind me. I still need the reminder. We can turn to the truth and promises found throughout scripture. That grounds us so that we cannot be shaken by confusion, doubt, and fear.

Yes, it’s healthy to feel our feelings, to identify our emotions during the day. But we can choose not to become overwhelmed by them. Setting our mind on Christ prevents us from being swept up by too many worrisome broadcasts. Rather than numb ourselves with various distractions, we can speak to our soul. We can share a word of encouragement with others.

Stop playing the negative self-talk tapes. Tell your Father in heaven what you are feeling and what you need. Remind yourself that God knows you and loves you. Remember Almighty God is your stronghold, protector, provider, and physician. These truths calm the spinning mind.

David sang this song when the Lord delivered him from all his enemies.
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior;” 2 Sam. 22:2-3

So if you are starting to feel swamped by waves of wild thoughts, remember that Jesus calmed the waters long ago. He is Lord over storms. He is Lord over all. Sit in his presence awhile. Meditate on scripture. Listen. Breathe.