10 Bible Verses for Sleepless Nights
The morning shadows dance with the expectancy of a new day, untouched and full of potential, as a rising sun ascends over the pines. I watch from the window through blurry eyes. Our days have been full, and I’ve been sleeping poorly. Opening my Bible, I decide to make a list of Bible verses for sleepless nights.
Bible Verses for Sleepless Nights
If sleep is hard to find again tonight, I’ll return to this list and soak in God’s Truth.
Sleeplessness can be deeply frustrating. The next time your mind refuses to quiet in the night, turn to these Scriptures to help you find peace. I also invite you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you draw near to God.
10 Bible Verses for Sleepless Nights
1. Psalm 23:1-2 ESV
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.”
God wants his children to rest in peace. We can experience this peace by imagining ourselves within the peaceful scenes described in God’s Word.
When I can’t sleep, I imagine myself lying in a green pasture alongside a quiet stream. I let myself rest in this place, reminding myself that deep rest is almost as restorative as sleep.
Sleeplessness is exacerbated when it becomes a performance. Rather than feeling frustrated with our bodies for failing to enter into sleep, we can receive the gift of deep rest.
Sleeplessness is exacerbated when it becomes a performance. Rather than feeling frustrated with our bodies for failing to enter into sleep, we can receive the gift of deep rest. #rest #sleep Share on X2. Isaiah 26:3
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
When a spinning mind is the reason for sleeplessness, speaking this verse can be helpful.
At times, I’ve whispered this verse, or repeated it silently in my mind, over and over again until finding sleep.
3. Psalm 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
God wants to be our refuge. Imagine yourself running into his arms and resting in his safe embrace. Let the cares of the world drift away as you let him hold you.
4. Psalm 4:8
“In peace, I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
We can sleep deeply because God is always with us. For followers of Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives within us.
Angels surround us.
Nothing reaches us without passing through God’s protection first.
These truths have enabled me to sleep in precarious situations: in tents alone in Alaska’s backcountry, in bunkhouses filled with teenagers, and even under the open sky in grizzly country.
I don’t advocate reckless living, but I have learned that even when I feel fearful, God is with me.
5. Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
I often lie awake at night because I’m trying to solve problems or understand confusing situations.
A wise friend once advised: Nighttime is not the time for solving problems. Since hearing her words, I refuse to try to solve problems of any sort in the night. I tell my racing mind, “This can wait for tomorrow.”
6. Psalm 91:1-2
“Whoever dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’”
God is always with us. For this reason, we can lie down and rest wherever we are. He is our refuge, safe place, and trustworthy guide. He also wants to see his children rest deeply.
7. Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
When I find myself ruminating over the trials of life in the night, I remind myself of this verse. God can take even the most terrible situations and use them for good. Reminding ourselves of this can help us find rest in him.
God can take even the most terrible situations and use them for good. Reminding ourselves of this can help us find rest in him. #rest #trust Share on X
8. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Prayer, rejoicing, and giving thanks can help us find rest.
Someone once said, that when sleeplessness is an attack from Satan, we can combat the attack by praying. When we can’t sleep, we can use the time to pray for friends, loved ones, and whatever comes to mind. In doing so, we will often fall asleep because Satan doesn’t want us to stay awake praying.
I also find it helpful to give thanks for the softness of my bed and anything else that comes to mind. I fall asleep while giving thanks and experiencing the joy I find in the process.
9. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.”
At times, grief keeps us awake in the night. During these times, God invites us to draw near to him, sharing our sadness with him. He wants to comfort us with his love.
10. Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
I’ve also learned that there are times when God wakes me in the night because he wants to reveal truth to me. At times, I’ve been awoken with the knowledge that I need to repent of a certain pattern of sin. At other times, I’ve awoken with a friend or loved one on my mind.
It’s important that we don’t always dismiss sleeplessness as an attack from the enemy or a malfunction of our bodies. I’ve learned to ask, “God, are you waking me up with a purpose?” If nothing comes to mind, I relax, enter into prayer, and let myself fall back to sleep.
At times, something comes to mind, and I use the time to sort through it with the Lord. This is the only time when I make an exception to my rule about not solving problems in the night. Sometimes, God shows me how he wants me to handle a difficult situation or inspires me in ministering to others.
An Invitation to Reflect on These Bible Verses for Sleepless Nights
I still struggle with sleeplessness. There are times when this is frustrating for me. By returning to the truths above, I can anchor myself to the Lord, creating space for him to move in the night hours.
What is he showing you about drawing near to him in the night as you reflect on these verses?
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