Jesus regularly rose early to pray and even prayed all night on occasion (Luke 6:12), recognizing that sometimes communion with God is more necessary for His children than physical rest. Just as failure to rest can indicate a lack of faith in God’s provision, refusal to work when we’re tired can indicate a lack of drive and work ethic.įinally, the Bible teaches that there is a time to sacrifice sleep for a greater spiritual good. In contrast, the Proverbs 31 woman routinely rises early to work in her home (Proverbs 31:15). Consider Proverbs 6:9-11, which asks sarcastically, “How long will you lie there, O sluggard?” and warns that one who sleeps when he should be working will come to poverty. Scripture also says that too much sleep may reflect laziness. But finding ourselves routinely unable to sleep due to worry indicates a need to trust God, and not to pop Ambien. Of course, there are times when sleeplessness is appropriate given the weightiness of our circumstances, and too much sleep may also reflect a lack of trust in the Lord, as when depressed or worried people sleep to avoid facing their troubles. In contrast to His frazzled disciples, Jesus’ sleep was an expression of trust in His heavenly Father (Mark 4:35-41). Indeed, God “gives to his beloved sleep.” It brings to mind the time Jesus slept in a boat during a storm on the Sea of Galilee. rise up early and go late to rest,” thinking our security depends entirely on our frenzied labors. Therefore, we need not “eat the bread of anxious toil” or “in vain. In Psalm 4:8, David is able to sleep amid life’s trials because of his confidence that the Lord alone made him “dwell in safety.” Similarly, Psalm 127:1-2 teaches that the Lord watches over His people.
But can a lack of sleep indicate a spiritual problem? Does the Bible say anything to guide us in our sleep patterns? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is yes to both questions.įirst, several passages in Scripture’s wisdom literature suggest that inability to sleep may reflect a lack of trust in the Lord. Of course, occasional sleepless nights are normal for nearly everyone and sometimes insomnia is caused by uncontrollable factors like physical pain or nightmares.
That’s the conclusion of a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that nearly nine million Americans take prescription sleeping pills and such prescriptions have tripled for people younger than 45.
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