Rest in the Midst of Turmoil

“I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, Lord, will keep me safe.” (Psalm 4:8 CEV).

We live in an age of high anxiety. Many toss and turn restlessly upon their beds worried about what tomorrow may bring or regretting the actions done or stewing over ill-treatment received.

It would have been easy for David to be in such a state of anxiety. As he pens the words to this Psalm, his son Absalom is well into plans for a coup and his dear friend and confident Ahithophel has viciously turned against him and is spreading lies all over Jerusalem about him. Please understand that those who pen words such as the ones found in our text are not immune from struggles. Often we forget this when we read Scripture. We think it is easy for these men to write such lofty words of hope, they don’t know what real life is like! Truth be told, I wouldn’t trade places with any one of the Biblical characters for anything! Their great words of encouragement all come to us from the depths of trials.

David, who is heart-sick, never-the-less can rest in comfort not because the outward circumstances were all going his way, but because of his settled trust in God. He slept soundly on the eve of rebellion and he slept soundly while running for his life during that rebellion because he wasn’t focused on the outward circumstances but on the inner reality that God was still in control.

Are there things in your life that have you torn up inside–tossing and turning and unable to get a good night’s sleep from the stress. Try the Biblical sleep-aid, put your trust in God.