January 27, 2026
I’ve been staring at my laptop for over an hour, wondering what I’m gonna write. My mind’s been blank since supper time. It’s not that I’m NOT thankful for anything; truly I am, and I could easily start naming off a bunch of things: food, shelter, clothing, life & breath — you get the idea. It’s just that my noggin is shutting-down for the night, and it’s not even 8PM.
As I was watching a YouTube interview, I found myself just blanking out; and that’s when it hit me (again), I didn’t sleep well last night. I wish I knew why! For the past number of days, I’ve slept like a baby, awaking energized and ready to tackle the day. But not this morning; I could’ve easily stayed in bed for another hour or two.
I know I’m not alone in this; we all have sleepless nights from time to time. Even the Apostle Paul did. While describing all that he endured for the sake of the gospel, he said this to the Corinthians:
“I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm”
Paul continued to write about his experiences for the sake of Christ; and while he asked Christ to take his “thorn from his side”, Jesus responded to Paul, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” That’s a lovely truth worth pondering, even amid sleepless nights. Now, just so you know, I’m not anxious about anything; it was just one of those nights. Yet tonight, that passage is one I’m meditating about.
But more than that, I don’t think I’ve ever actually stopped to thank the Lord for the blessing of a good night’s sleep. It’s one of those everyday gifts that’s so easy to overlook until you go without it. So even though last night was a restless one, today I’m choosing to be grateful—for all those ordinary nights where my head hit the pillow and I woke up ready to go. That’s something worth giving thanks for, and I don’t want to take it for granted.
Father God, thank you for giving us all time each day to lay down our heads and sleep. Sometimes we don’t sleep well; that’s just part of the human condition. But on those nights when we sleep like babies, oh… that’s such a wonderful gift. Thank you, Lord, for a good night’s sleep. May you grant all that are reading this today a peaceful and restful night’s sleep. Amen.