Okay, so what's the other thing? It is meditation. Now when I speak of meditation I'm not referring to the Eastern practice where you sit cross-legged and chant. The meditation I'm referring to is the type spoken of in the Bible.
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1: 8
Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Psalm 119: 97
My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. v 148
God's word instructs us to meditate on it "day and night." With our busy lifestyle, we may not be able to meditate during the day, but what's to stop us from meditating on God's word during a few sleepless hours? Just reflecting on God's love and greatness is enough to erase our worrying thoughts and help us get back to sleep.
I have taken meditation to a different level. I have learned to say my ABC. Not the kind your child learns in pre-K, but the kind that focuses on the attributes of God. So A is for amazing, B is for bountiful, C is for compassionate and so on. I usually fall asleep before I've got half-way through. This works for me. You may come up with your own form of meditation that you will find effective.
Unless you have a medical condition that is robbing you of sleep, I think you would find these suggestions helpful. Sleep deprivation is not something God wants us to struggle with. He wants us to be well rested so we can impact the world for Him. But in addition to getting a good night's sleep, your spiritual life will improve and you will find yourself having a deeper and more satisfying relationship with God.
This is by no means to be taken as medical advice. Please follow your physician's advice in addition to consulting the Great Physician.
See my other post on this topic here
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