Sleep Like a Baby

by Stacy Edwards, from Devotions from the Kitchen Table

 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. — Galatians 6:9

Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing. — Judges 8:4 ESV

Whoever coined the phrase “sleep like a baby” clearly never had one wake them up every two hours for nights on end. Having a newborn in your home makes you understand all those tired moms on social media. You begin to realize that coffee is a necessity and showering is a luxury. Words like sleep, tired, and drained do not seem to do justice to how you feel.

A new baby in the house brings absolute exhaustion but also the ability to keep going. A God-given endurance seems to accompany the bone weariness, enabling a new mom or dad to be exhausted yet continue to do the things that need to be done.

Whether it’s taking care of a newborn or an ailing parent, working extra hours to make ends meet, or trying to get through the day, life can be exhausting.

Gideon knew a thing or two about physical exhaustion. He and his men had been engaged in battle, and Gideon himself described his troops as “worn out” (Judges 8:5). Gideon had overcome a great amount of fear and, in obedience to God’s commands, set out to conquer the very enemy he had been hiding from when God came to him. Once Gideon chose to be a part of what God was doing, there was no stopping him.

Sometimes, perhaps even often, God will call us to do hard things. At times we’ll be physically and emotionally weary. We must decide on the front end that, even in our exhaustion, we’ll continue to pursue the will of God.

There’s no shame in being tired. We can know that God gives strength to the weary and power to the weak (Isaiah 40:29). We can also know that if we’ll continue pursuing Him, we’ll reap the reward of those who don’t give up (Galatians 6:9).

There are times when I grow weary, Lord. In those moments, give me the strength I need to continue pursuing You so I can be counted among those who didn’t give up.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus tells us what to do when we’re tired — go to Him. Partner with Him instead of trying to do it all by ourselves. He is where we find our rest!