Sleep, Or Rather the Lack of It

Psalm 127:2 ESV 
"It is in vain that you rise up early
   and go late to rest, 

eating the bread of anxious toil;
   for he gives to his beloved sleep.

My husband has left for a few days and I was anticipating doing many long put off house projects, meeting with friends I usually don't have time to meet with, and generally being pretty busy.  Along with all of that toil was likely to come much less sleep.  I struggle with sleep anyways.  I haven't slept through the night for more than a night or two since I was pregnant with my oldest daughter eight years ago.  

This morning in my Bible study, Becoming a Woman of Simplicity, Ms. Heald wrote about rest.  The first verses were about resting on the seventh day that we might be refreshed no matter the time of year--Exodus 23:12 and 34:21.  I knew these verses, but the next question and verse took me by surprise.  It was Psalm 127:2 that I've quoted at the beginning of this post.  Ms. Heald shared that "It is hard for me to be patient or calm when I am tired.  If we are to be women with a gentle and quiet spirit, we need to be good stewards of our bodies by getting enough sleep." p.123

I sat and cried, thankful for the Lord's encouragement.  I know that I take things into my own hands feeling like I must continue toiling till all that could possibly be done is done.  Rather, I need to stop, rest, and start again the next day.  Resting is part of trusting God to order my day.  I hadn't quite seen it that way until this morning.  

I just finished this study this morning.  I am thankful for its encouragement and all of the lessons God has taught me through it.  Like the other studies in this series, Ms. Heald encourages the reader to dig into God's Word and sit with them.  In this book, she expounds a bit more than she does in other books, but I enjoyed all the stories she shared.  From the beginning, this study encouraged me because it didn't call me to shun the world or become something I don't think is even possible.  In a search for simplicity, many people shun the world and think that that will bring a sense of peace and rest.  I suppose for some it might.  But, I realize now that a sense of peace and rest comes more from trusting the Lord with our days rather than from simply "doing less".  Ms. Heald explains that the busyness of our world is never going to go away--so how can we live and rest in the Lord each day?  That is the question this study is about.  If you find yourself struggling to find peace with the Lord, I'd definitely recommend this study.  I've loved it.

Please note that I did receive a complimentary copy of this book from NavPress for review.