I awoke at 3:30 am this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. It’s so frustrating when this happens since I typically get up for work at 5 am anyway. Breathing was difficult out of my nose with my allergies and I felt a little like I was suffocating. In a strange dream, I was trapped under a rug and I couldn’t get enough air. It woke me up startled and in a panic. Try as I might, I could not get back to sleep. I couldn’t control my runaway thoughts.
The mind is such a complex organ with all its neurons, synapses, neurotransmitters and biochemicals. We are just beginning to understand it. Medication can modify its function. Counseling helps it process past memories. Still, thoughts can intrude on sleep and make it difficult to rest. The apostle Paul speaks of “taking every thought captive” in 2 Corinthians 10 but how do we do this? There is a spiritual aspect to the brain that remains a mystery.
The story of the Thai soccer team trapped in total darkness for nearly 2 weeks in a flooded cave is a fascinating example of the ability to take control of thoughts. The boys’ coach taught them how to meditate so they could stay calm even though at the time their situation appeared bleak. This preserved precious oxygen while they awaited their ultimate rescue. If they had panicked, they all easily could have perished.
Taking our thoughts captive whether it be in a flooded cave or in the middle of the night in our own bed, is essentially a spiritual battle. We fight it with spiritual, not physical weapons. Meditation, prayer, and reading scripture are mighty weapons in this battle. When I am feeling overwhelmed in darkness, I call upon the name of Jesus. Sometimes I just say His name over and over-Jesus, Jesus, Jesus…as a focus of meditation. With each repetition, the darkness is dispersed and calm pervades my soul. Other times I will sing an old hymn in my head. It’s amazing how the familiar words are a comfort and hold me fast, dispelling my fears. When all else fails, I write. Writing in my journal transfers anxious thoughts to paper and somehow they lose their power over me.
Whatever spiritual weapon I use, it is Jesus that gives me strength in the battle. He is the One who calmed the storm on the sea. I have faith that He can and will calm the storm in me. All I have to do is reach out and call His name. He is my breath, my oxygen, my life-giver, my peace. I may have been unable to go back to sleep last night but He is with me start to finish in my day.
Lord, give me your peace to go forth in your name today and everyday.
This was very helpful. Thank you, Suzanne.
Becky
Glad it helped