Move Forward
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.—Philippians 3:13 (NIV)
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.—PSALM 3:5 NIV
Have you ever been so exhausted at the end of the day that you were half asleep before your head hit the pillow? Or, more likely, the exhaustion was so severe that you couldn’t sleep at all?
Caregivers, of all people, need their rest. And yet—like so many others who work tirelessly—they rarely get enough.
To garner the physical and emotional strength you need to care for others, you’ve got to care for yourself—and that means you’ve got to get your sleep. Don’t let the cares of the day (or worries about tomorrow) steal that precious sleep time away. Hashing and rehashing your worries will surely snatch away your precious hours of rest.
So focus on the Lord as your head hits that pillow. Ask for His perspective on your situation and then give the whole thing over to Him, mentally seeing yourself laying your worries and your fears at His feet. Close your eyes and relax, knowing that God is in control.
Ah, sweet sleep! It’s part of the Lord’s plan for a healthy life. Catch a few z’s tonight and wake up tomorrow morning refreshed for a new day.
Dear Lord, as I place my head on the pillow, I ask for Your peace to sweep over me. Please wash away all my cares and concerns and give me the rest I need.
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.—Philippians 3:13 (NIV)
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.—Genesis 1:21 (NIV)
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.—Colossians 3:23 (ESV)