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My youngest son was 6 years old when I futilely tried to teach him the benefits of sleep. It was a lazy Friday evening and—no doubt—my wife and I were looking forward to a lazy Saturday morning, too. My son embraced the “lazy” part, watching cartoons and eating multiple bowls of cereal on weekends until his heart and stomach were content. He didn’t, though, embrace prioritizing sleep. But perhaps—I thought—I could “sell” him on the idea at bedtime.
“Isaac,” I told him with an excited tone, as if I were selling him a toy, “tomorrow is Saturday, and you get to sleep late!”
He looked back up at me with his blue eyes and a confused look burrowed deep within his forehead. I might as well have been selling broccoli.
“Why would I ever do that?” he asked. “Dad, that’s not gonna happen.”
In other words: Dad, there are cartoons to watch, cereals to enjoy! I ain’t got time for sleep.
Of course, such attitudes are common among adults too. There’s work to be done, chores to be conquered, fun to be had. Who has time for sleep?
My son got to bed too late that night and woke up too early the next morning, ornery as a hornet and as slow as a slug. Since then, I’ve made his bedtime a priority, and I’ve begun prioritizing my bedtime too. Over and over I have seen the difference a good night’s sleep can make in my home.
We’ve experienced a “sleep revolution.” You can do the same.
Here are three ways prioritizing sleep can change your life:
It Fulfills Your Purpose
God designed our bodies for sleep. He created us to work hard during the day, slow down in the evening, and then rest under His watchful care at night. Yes, there are times in our lives when late nights are necessary. The life-long pattern, though, should be one of emphasizing rest.
Scripture warns us against resisting sleep: “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” (Psalm 127:2, ESV).
Nature itself reflects this work-rest structure. Bears hibernate. Trees go dormant. Farmland lies fallow. That’s how God designed them—and you.
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep,” King David wrote, “for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8, ESV).
It Calms Your Soul
Sleep is that time each day when we hand our problems to God and set our minds on what is pure and true (Phillippians 4:8, NIV). It’s that time when we focus less on the temporal—the things of this world—and more on the eternal. It’s that time when we set aside the things that cause stress—work, school, and the like—and fix our gaze on the God of peace, love, and joy.
Sleep is like a calming balm to the soul.
Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
How can we listen to our Creator if our daily tasks never end?
It Gets You Ahead in Life (Huh?)
Sleep is essential if our lives are to model Christ.
[T]he fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness [and] self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23, ESV
Have you ever snapped at someone following a sleepless night? I have. I quickly apologized and then tried to clean up my mess: “I’m so sorry—I got to bed late last night.”
Sleep isn’t always necessary to walk like Christ. But it sure makes it easier.
Yes, it’s easy to fall into the trap of staying up late to edge ahead of the world. Too often, though, your production suffers the next day. You make mistakes. Your memory fails. The clarity of thought you had just 24 hours earlier is … gone. By contrast, sleep boosts your memory and enhances your judgment.
Perhaps Jewish culture could teach us a lesson. In Judaism, days end not at midnight but … at sundown. Nighttime is the beginning of a new day, and sleep is the preparation for it.
Even Jesus slept. Why should we be any different?
Now listen to a short segment of a sleep story from Abide that I wrote based on Psalm 4. I’ll take you on a journey visiting the historic churches in Cades Cove, Tenn. Experience how a Bible-based sleep story can help you fall asleep peacefully as you are prioritizing sleep.
For more help to stress less and sleep better, check out the Abide app, where our 400+ Bible-based sleep stories all exist to help you experience the peace of Christ and get better rest. Use this link for 25% off a premium subscription, giving you access to all our sleep stories plus much more.
Michael Foust is the father of four young children and the husband of an amazing wife, Julie. He’s written for the Toronto Star, the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Christianity Today and Crosswalk.
