Peaceful Nights

 

 

Summer evenings on the deck.  Weekdays are busy, but weekends at our home provides us the opportunity to enjoy our deck.  Morning coffee time has me on the deck enjoying the beginning of the day.  Afternoons can find us stretching out, even catching a quick nap.  The evenings, we tend to have dinner out on the deck and even bring the tv out for a quick movie.  There are other evenings when we just sit.  We let the peacefulness of the evening wash over us, listening to the birds, the breeze as it rustles through the leaves and just ‘be.’

I enjoy those evenings as they are wonderful preparation for a routine of peacefulness prior to bed.  They start that way.  The winding down of the day.  I may actually close my eyes in rest.  THEN IT HAPPENS!!  The peacefulness I experienced throughout the evening turned into a nightmare of trying to sleep.  My eyes are wide open at 1AM, 2AM, etc. and before I know it, my feet are hitting the ground, and I am out of bed for the day.  I wake up from a sound sleep, thinking!  I think about issues at work, worries from home, general unrest.

I pray to Jesus, “Please take all these thoughts away from me.”  Briefly, that happens.  Within 15 minutes, I decide “I” can manage these issues better and my mind starts racing again.  My husband and I were talking about this today.  I give it to God, and then I take it back!  It is not just during the time when I should be sleeping, it can happen throughout the day as well.   I KNOW God has my worries.  I KNOW God has my issues.  Yet, I can have difficulty to give it to God fully!  I play ‘tug of war’ with God – giving and taking – until my soul cannot manage it anymore.  When I give it to him fully, God gives me back all I need, FULLY!

Giving our trials to God, asking him for peace, knowing he delivers, will provide us the rest, the sleep, the safety we all need.  We know this but doing it can be tough.  So where do we go, what do we do?  I know I am going to try some of the following:

·         Write it down to give to God – send him a letter!  Writing things down can help us to commit!

·         Prayer – talk to God, ensuring you pray when your soul needs it most.  Ask for the peace you need!

·         Meditate on His word – adding verses to your toolbox and bringing them out when you need peace!

Life can be hard, and we cannot do this on our own.  God wants us to have peace, the type of peace that passes all understanding.  He gives this to us freely when we go to Him!  We need to go to Him completely, fully, and give him everything – and not take it back.  Have the simple faith that God has it!  When He has it, you have peace!

Heavenly Father, help us!  May we give you the trials and tribulations that trouble us so we can, in return, have the peace that only you can provide.  Help us to give to you fully so you can give back to us fully.