How We Can Rest Like a Sleeping Baby
Like A Sleeping Baby
Psalms 131
My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.
But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child, I am content.
Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore
Holding Peace In My Arms
I am currently holding my sleeping baby. I tried to put him down in his crib, and he started to cry, so now I’m going to hold him until he wakes up.
He is the picture of contentment. He’s wrapped in a soft, warm blanket, quietly taking deep breaths. He knows that he’s safe in my arms, he knows that I’m here to take care of him, just like I have been since he was born.
And I’m happy to hold him. I love that I get to be his comfort.
A Quiet Soul
In Psalms 131, David describes being content like a weaned child because he has calmed and quieted himself.
Some days, I really wish my weaned children learned to calm and quiet themselves.
Actually… pretty sure God just said the same thing about me.
Letting Go Of What We Can’t Control
David is admonishing Israel to put their hope in the Lord, to not concern themselves with things that are “great matters or too wonderful for me.” In my mind, there is so much that I concern myself with on a daily basis that I have absolutely no control over.
Like…
- I want to know the future.
- I want to know about my kids’ futures
- I want my family to always be taken care of
- I want everyone to be healthy and happy
- I want my plans to stay intact
- I want to be able to control every aspect of my life completely
We worry and stress about things that we have no control over instead of trusting the one who has complete control.
But what do I have control over? Whether we spend time with God today, if we choose to pray in those hard times, and if we put our faith in God rather than our own abilities.
But perhaps if we are able to just trust in the Lord, today, tomorrow and the next day, and not concern ourselves with the things that we have no control over, we would be able to rest easy, like a sleeping baby in our mother’s arms.
Rest for the Weary
Jesus said that his burden is light (Matt 11:28-30). Life is not going to be easy, but it doesn’t have to be a burden. Why? Because we are not carrying it alone.
Our trust is in God, the Creator of all things, and the mastermind of all circumstances. He is in control, he wants you to have rest and trust that he’s got this, because he does!
He’s got a plan! He’s not sleeping or taking a break, he’s in control of every detail and he is more than capable of taking care of you.
He wants you to rest.
He wants you to trust that He’s got this—because He does.
Embracing Peace
The next time you look at a sleeping baby, content and happy, think that you could also feel that same contentment, that same peace.
You are able to feel that calm if you simply trust in the Lord through thick and thin.
Regardless of circumstances, regardless of how you feel, God is in control and he knows your needs.
You don’t have to figure it all out. You just have to rest in the arms of the One who already has.
