Productive Sleeplessness

(I wrote this back in early 2005. It still applies today.)

Have you ever had those nights when you wake up in the wee hours of the morning and can’t get back to sleep? I get those every so often, and I used to toss and turn as I tried to unsuccessfully return to my slumber.

I wondered if there was a reason I was not sleeping. Was I eating the right foods? Was I going to bed at a decent hour? Was something bothering me? I decided to fight back against the restlessness by doing something productive: I began to pray.

I started praying for my husband and children, for my relatives and friends, for people I hadn’t seen in some time, and for situations I knew people were going through. I also prayed for my children’s developing character so God could mold and shape them into what He wanted them to be. By the time I had been praying for awhile, I finally found myself drifting off to sleep.

My attitude towards my interrupted sleep started to change. Instead of being frustrated by my wakefulness, I started seeing it as a way to intercede for others. When I would awaken, I began asking the Lord, “Who would You like me to pray for?” Sometimes a person would come to mind. Other times I would pray through my list of family and friends.

It felt good to be able to entreat the Lord on their behalf, particularly during this period of quietness when the rest of my household was sleeping. Maybe that was the reason I would wake up at those times. Maybe I was being called upon to pray when I was the least preoccupied. Whatever the cause, I have now joyfully accepted my sleeplessness as an opportunity to bless someone else through intercession.

The next time you find yourself waking up at odd hours, try praying. You might find yourself sleeping better for your efforts.