Psalm 143:7–10 ‘Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.’ (v8)
Every evening before turning to sleep, it is constructive to take some time to lay before God aspects of the day just passed. Every day raises issues, disturbs past memories and stirs unexpected anxieties. These are all to be brought to God (1 Pet. 5:7), who alone sustains our total wellbeing. There are formal ways to manage this, such as the Ignatian practice of Examen, where we review our day through questions: Where have I felt true joy; been troubled and challenged; noticed God’s presence today?
There are also informal ways, quietly reflecting and noting God encounters from the past day. I make my peace with God and go to sleep with a heart ready for the opportunities of the day yet to come. One useful prayer is, ‘You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you’ (Isa. 26:3). It is so useful to take a reflective moment between closing the day and entering sleep. It needs to be done before we are too tired and is not helped if we have been celebrating and consuming alcohol. So we may wish to avoid the habit every night, but how about starting with a couple of nights a week?
Sunday is always good before the fresh working week, as it is popularly called. And I find Wednesday a useful midpoint at which to take stock and keep me on track. We live to realise God’s will, so my final prayer is, ‘Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life’.
Scripture to consider: Psa. 4; Isa. 26:1–11; Eph. 4:25–32; 1 John 1:5–10.
An action to take: How might you establish a habit of taking time with God before bed?
A prayer to make: ‘Lord, thank You that You want to share the ups and downs of my day and prepare my heart for sleep and rest. Amen.’
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
