Sweet Sleep

Lectio Divina Out Loud: When woken up with worry, Erika Dix finds a way to rest.   

When you lie down, you will not be afraid, when you rest, your sleep will be sweet. (Proverbs 3:24) 

In the middle of the night, I sometimes find myself wide awake and worrying. When this happens, I try to go back to sleep but all that ends up happening is more tossing and turning. Sometimes I can calm myself down enough to fall back to sleep, but there are other times when calming down is not an option. In talking with others, especially women, I have found I am not alone in this, so what do we do to find that sweet sleep? 

When You Lie Down 

My husband likes to tease me that as soon as my head hits the pillow, I am wide awake. I truly do not understand why I can feel sleepy all evening, but as soon as I lie down, my brain starts whirling. All the schedules and plans for the upcoming days creep into my mind. What I wish for is a way to directly transcribe all my thoughts into a calendar and to-do list so that I can find rest and not have to leave my pillow. 

Do Not Be Afraid 

The worst times are when the wake-up panic siren goes off in the middle of the night, usually around 3 AM. Then it is almost impossible to get back to sleep. The fear rises and overtakes, and there is no chance of rest. Will there be enough time? Will everything get done? Will all the pieces fit together?  

When You Rest 

The verse from Proverbs, especially the section it comes from (chapter 3, verses 21-26), talks about how we must hold to deliberation and planning, so they will be a lifeline to the soul. My takeaway is that the Lord does encourage us to make plans, but the deliberation is to be connected to Him in a way that will give us the confidence to plan. When we allow ourselves to live in the Lord, our plans naturally come from Him. The connection — this lifeline and this grace — creates the plans that allow us to rest and trust in the Lord that there will be enough time, everything will get done, and all the pieces fit perfectly according to His will.  

Sweet Sleep 

One of my favorite ways to calm down during the 3 AM panic siren is to come to my prayer space, a comfy chair next to a window. I snuggle under a blanket with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on it, feeling the arms of our Blessed Mother wrap around me and hold me securely. Sometimes I open the window to view the stars or the cloudy night sky. I allow the Lord’s Prayer to fill my mind on repeat, or I listen to a quiet worship song.   

After a time, I can feel the peace of the Lord, and then all the plans that are whirling in my mind slow down and settle into place. The lifeline from the Lord to my soul brings the peace of sweet sleep, and then I find rest. 

Prayer:

Lord, I love to rest in Your arms and in the arms of the Blessed Mother. Thank you for the wake-up calls so I will connect to You and find peace.  

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Copyright 2026 Erika Dix
Images: Canva