Zhi Xian—Singapore
The saying goes, "A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow." It is estimated that approximately a third of adults experience periodic symptoms of insomnia.[1] Among the numerous causes and contributors to poor sleep, anxiety is a common coexisting factor for sleep disturbances.
Anxiety is characterized by worried thoughts, feelings of bodily tension, and physical changes like increased blood pressure or breathing rate, typically in response to a perceived threat that may occur in the future.[2] We all experience varying degrees of anxiety in our lives. Some have a better grasp of it, others struggle whenever it surfaces, and there are those who have battled chronic anxiety for a long time. Anxiety often rears its ugly head in the quiet of the night and robs us of restfulness and sleep. We pray to God for peace to calm our hearts when anxiety overwhelms us, sometimes to no avail. We are left to our own devices, often in the literal sense, to find reprieve and capture that elusive sleep.
Is there a place for God's word to effect positive change during these moments of internal distress and helplessness? Psalm 77 provides a helpful biblical framework of pragmatic steps that we can practice to help us cope with short-term or chronic anxiety and sleeplessness.
THE PSALMIST UNDERSTANDS
In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing;
My soul refused to be comforted.
I remembered God, and was troubled;
I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.
You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak. (Ps 77:2–4)
Will the Lord cast off forever?
And will He be favorable no more?
Has His mercy ceased forever?
Has His promise failed forevermore?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? (Ps 77:7–9)
The experiences of the Psalmist of old, Asaph, resemble our own. Like many, Asaph prayed but could not seem to find comfort and rest for his soul. What followed were the doubts, cynicism, and negative thoughts that arise when we are not in a good headspace. Other than doubting our abilities and prospects, we may also start to distrust God's goodness and abidance in our lives.
And I said, "This is my anguish;
But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High." (Ps 77:10)
However, Asaph acknowledges that this internal dialogue came from his anguish, which also means infirmity or weakness. This is a common weakness of man: when we are overwhelmed with unpleasant emotions like sorrow, grief, or anxiety, we start to perceive and remember things in a more negative light. Gloomy and pessimistic thoughts become magnified and monopolize our attention, while good and true ones retreat backstage. This internal buildup can affect our psychological and emotional well-being, spilling over into our external reality, and impacting our day-to-day functioning and relationships with people dear to us, including our heavenly Father.
I have considered the days of old,
The years of ancient times.
I call to remembrance my song in the night;
I meditate within my heart,
And my spirit makes diligent search. (Ps 77:5–6)
Here, Asaph describes several actions he took while in the depths of misery:
- He considered the days of old.
- He remembered his song in the night.
- He meditated within his heart.
- He diligently searched deep within himself.
Consequently, he was able to restore his faith in God and emerge from the spiral of negative emotionality and unhelpful introspection. Let us explore each of these strategies of the psalmist and how we can employ them in our lives.
REMIND OURSELVES OF GOD'S GOODNESS IN OUR LIFE
I will remember the works of the LORD;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
I will also meditate on all Your work,
And talk of Your deeds. (Ps 77:11–12)
First, Asaph shifts his mind's eye away from his present distress to the days of old when God's presence, abidance, and goodness were manifested to His people through His deeds and wonders. When our mind brings up unwanted images and thoughts to fill the attentional vacuum at night, we can steer it towards more positive and uplifting scenes from our past experiences and encounters. Even King Ahasuerus resorted to this ancient coping strategy: when he could not sleep, he had the book of the records of the chronicles read to him (Est 6:1–2). This account probably depicted his life story, past victories, and accomplishments. This reading evoked an immense gratitude towards Mordecai for saving his life.
Likewise, when worrying about tomorrow, we can purposefully recall the blessings and favors we have received in life and the challenging periods God has helped us overcome. Be it illnesses, trials, or temptations, we can reflect on how we emerged from them, restored, strengthened, wiser, and more grateful.
Psalm 107 provides a helpful template for a variety of circumstances where God's goodness and mercy accompany us as we traverse the dark valleys of life. When we are attacked, oppressed, or taken advantage of, God delivers us and brings us to a safe place (Ps 107:2–3). When we are lost, hungry, or distressed, God shows us the right path to walk and revitalizes our weary souls (Ps 107:4–9). When we disobey His will and word and suffer the consequences of sin, God delivers us out of our afflictions and bondage after we cry out to Him (Ps 107:10–16). When we are afflicted with terrible illnesses, loss of appetite, and are close to death, God heals and delivers us out of our agony (Ps 107:17–20). When we meet with threats and dangers along our travels, God preserves our lives and leads us safely to our destination (Ps 107:23–30).
Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD. (Ps 107:43)
How else has God's lovingkindness shown in your own experiences or those close to you? To aid our reflections and remembrance, we can employ practical strategies such as writing in a journal, organizing photo albums or records on our devices, and placing photos or meaningful items within our visual field in the bedroom. A heart of gratitude towards God arises when we intentionally evoke these positive memories. This strengthens our trust and assurance in God's providence and invisible hand, even when we confront uncertainty and difficulties. If I have overcome troubles before, surely I can overcome them again with God's grace and lovingkindness, and with all He has already provided me.
REMEMBER OUR SONG IN THE NIGHT
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life. (Ps 42:8)
Since antiquity, songs have been an important memorization technique because music helps the mind encode and retrieve information more easily. Think about how children are taught their ABCs with the alphabet song and how catchy or meaningful lyrics stay in our heads for years. Today, we have been gifted with many songs of praise. We have the Psalms—God-inspired prayers and songs that contain God's teachings and exhortations, His nature and deeds, and His hopes and love for us. We also sing many Christian hymns during our church worship, containing relatable, meaningful, and biblically-inspired lyrics and reminders.
Like Asaph, the sons of Korah encourage us that if we ever feel that our soul is cast down and disquieted within us, we can sing God's song and pray to Him in the night to renew our hope and trust in Him (Ps 42). Two of Jesus' disciples exemplified this practice. Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns at midnight while imprisoned at Philippi (Acts 16:25). They were facing an uncertain future and the threat of death, but their songs generated peace and strength to tide them through the long night.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Col 3:16)
There is power in psalms and hymns as they contain the wisdom and word of God. Which hymns bring you comfort and encouragement? Which hymns tug your heartstrings whenever you hear or sing them? If you have to sing a hymn right now, which one comes to mind first? You will probably find that the hymns you resonate with are relevant to whatever you are going through right now.
One challenge is that when we are in a tug-of-war with our anxieties or discomfort, our emotions may overwhelm our capacity to recall these words of hope and comfort or our impulse to search for them. Hence, while we are emotionally well, it is a good idea to create a folder of hymns on our devices or curate playlists in our preferred music app to help us access these songs easily in the night.
MEDITATE WITHIN OUR HEARTS
Make me understand the way of Your precepts;
So shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.
My soul melts from heaviness;
Strengthen me according to Your word. (Ps 119:27–28)
Meditating entails focusing our thoughts on a particular subject or speaking to ourselves inwardly. This is apt when we consider the weakness that Asaph mentions: our tendency to ruminate, think negatively, or catastrophize about the future when our emotions cloud our reason. When people are confronted with distressing thoughts, they may try to silence them through distractions like music, games, and social media, with some turning to substances to numb the emotional pain. Instead of such a response, we can learn to proactively refocus our thoughts and internal dialogue onto more meaningful and helpful things.
Paul suggests a variety of categories we can meditate on in Philippians 4:8–9:
[W]hatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Besides memories of God's goodness and hymns, we can also turn to God's word to draw strength, hope, and comfort (Rom 15:4). What are your favorite Bible verses, passages, or stories? Which verse tugs your heartstrings whenever you encounter it? If you have to recall a Bible verse right now that aligns with what you are experiencing, which one comes up most naturally? God's word is living and powerful; it can discern the thoughts and intents of our hearts and address the root of any problem or struggle that we face (Heb 4:12). We only need to make room in our hearts and minds for the word to be rooted and nurtured, and allow the Holy Spirit to bring to remembrance His word, which speaks to our anxieties and discomfort.
I once spoke with a young Christian who was struggling to overcome depression and the strong impulse to steal even though he knew it was unnecessary, wrong, and senseless. Whenever he felt the urge to steal, he found it helpful to take out his phone and look at Bible verses, reminders of his Christian identity, and what God willed for him to do. This coping strategy, among others, helped him to overcome his strong urges and was a bulwark of hope amidst his feelings of despair and helplessness.
A practical strategy we can do today is to compile meaningful and relevant Bible verses so we can quickly access them when we struggle with sleeplessness and anxiety. We can highlight verses in our physical Bibles, bookmark verses in our preferred Bible apps, or create albums of Bible verse illustrations on our devices. Other than verses, we can file encouraging or inspiring messages we have heard in sermons or testimonies. When your mind wanders aimlessly at night, open up these resources, look at them, and set your mind to meditate on these words and the memories that surface.
MAKE DILIGENT SEARCH IN OUR SPIRIT
The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD,
Searching all the inner depths of his heart. (Prov 20:27)
When we pray to God in the midst of our anxiety, we often ask Him to take away our discomfort and give us peace to quiet our overactive minds and lull us to sleep. Usually, the petitions and requests we present to God only scratch the surface of our concerns. Hence, our worries and fears resurface time and time again. Making a diligent search in our spirit entails looking inwards and examining our hearts deeply to ascertain what underlies our anxieties, using the lamp of the Lord—God's word and principles—to uncover the root of the issue.
Searching for "anxious" in the Greek language within the New Testament brings up verses that indicate one's care towards something or someone. For example, every member of the body should have the same "care" for one another (1 Cor 12:25). This means that our worries and anxieties spring from what we care about in life. The more we care about something, the more we worry over it. Hence, we ought to use the lamp of God to identify and evaluate the cares in our hearts that are generating and driving our anxieties.
Are our worries driven by the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, or the desire for non-essential things, causing us to be choked with anxiety and distress (Mk 4:19)? If we have overemphasized their significance in the present state or stage of our lives, we need to refocus our perspectives and consider our relationship with these goals and wants. When we care less about these matters, our worry naturally decreases.
Alternatively, if our cares are associated with Christian love, Christ-centered relationships, salvation, ministry, and service to God and His people, then our worry is driven by beneficial cares. This is seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and if we do this, Jesus assures us that God will hear and provide for us (Mt 6:33). When we mourn and worry over our Father's business, He will comfort us (Mt 5:4) and remind us that He is in control. When we adopt this renewed perspective that our worries are justified, we pray to God differently because we are confident that these cares align with His will, and we can entrust the outcome into His hand (1 Jn 5:14–15).
HIS COMFORT DELIGHTS OUR SOUL
In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul. (Ps 94:19)
In this world, we will have tribulations, and anxiety is an inevitable human experience. Thank the Lord that we have His word as a lamp and guide to navigate life's vicissitudes. Psalm 77 gives us insight into some strategies we can adopt: remind ourselves of God's goodness in our lives; turn to our song in the night for peace and strength; meditate on the word of God to evoke comfort and hope; and diligently search our spirit to identify and evaluate the cares that generate these worries. Let us trust in the Lord, commit our works to Him, and make room within ourselves to receive His transcendental peace and comfort, which the world can never give (Jn 14:27).
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