You know those moments when you feel truly seen by God? This podcast is one of those moments for me. For the past few months, I’ve been struggling with insomnia; waking up restless in the middle of the night, awake for what seems like hours on end, and just feeling incredibly anxious. After weeks of this same cycle, I sat with my daughter, in our bed watching her cartoons and already noticing my anxiety begin to arise over the next night’s sleep. To distract myself, I opened my phone and begin to scroll. I checked my email and saw from CCEF (Christian Counseling Education Foundation) an email with the subject “When You Can’t sleep.” I laughed and immediately hit play.
It was as if God was speaking directly to me, “I see you in this struggle. You are not alone.” This podcast spoke words of encouragement and comfort over my weary soul that brought me to tears. The host, Alasdair Groves, encouraged listeners to view moments of insomnia as invitations to have real conversations with the Lord and to pour out your heart to Him like an earnest prayer, “Oh, my soul, remember again who He is.”
Psalm 139 helps my soul remember who God is in my restless nights. Below are a few verses that particularly bring hope and comfort to me.
- “You know when I sit and when I rise up” (vs.2) God knows when I’m sleeping peacefully or laying restless in my bed and wrestling with anxiety.
- “You hem me in, behind, and before, and lay your hand upon me (vs.5); God’s presence breathes peace, comfort, and stillness over me.
- “Even the darkness is not dark to you…for darkness is as light with you (vs.12). My fears do not scare God, even more, when I am with God my fears lose their grip.
We have a God who loves, cares, and knows us; so, we can rest utterly in the hope that He will be with us, He will walk with us, and that He will provide for us. I hope this resource encourages you that God sees you in your suffering and whatever darkness you are facing can be as light when we are with Him.
Here is the link to the podcast, “When You Can’t Sleep”
– Written by Ally Padilla, MA