I don't know about you, but I NEED naptime!!!! I love being with my boys. I do. But I also crave time alone. Time to "do", time to reflect, time to sit, time to read, and occasionally time to nap myself. Time to be alone with my God. To take my cares and lay them at his feet.
But as all good things in life, there is one who seeks to destroy. He is the enemy. He can take something that seems so right, or at least, not bad in any way, and twist it just enough to make it a stronghold. Something that holds us in bondage. I have experienced that with naptime. Almost from day 1 of my first son being born, I struggled with a baby who didn't need nearly as much sleep as we (and most of the newborn books out there) thought he should have. It was a daily struggle. And then number 2 came along, and he has always been a good sleeper. Until now...when he fights for his independence, trying to come out of his room multiple times at nap or bed, saying he "needs something." And then #3. He takes after his oldest brother and also seems to be following in the footsteps of one day becoming a surgeon or pilot or some other person who needs much less sleep than average. He's a happy little guy, but when it comes to sleep, his first year of life did involve a lot of crying~for both of us.
All this to say, God has made it pretty clear that he is trying to teach me something through this! He is teaching me patience and gentleness and love. Ultimately, though, he is teaching me how to give up those famous reigns of control that I so tend to grab at every turn. Trying to control my children's naps. Seriously. If that's how he's going to teach me, though, I want to learn it now and learn it well.
I have learned to pray over them and myself every day..."Lord, let us get the rest that our bodies need, whatever that may look like today." I have learned to humbly ask for their forgiveness after making a big deal about sleeping yet again. I've learned to let go.
Rest, rejuvenation, restoration. Only God can truly bring.
"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken." Psalm 62: 1-2
I am totally with you on this struggle. Thank you for your inspiring words on letting this go :).
ReplyDeleteThank you for this reminder Emily!
ReplyDeleteLetting go. Such a struggle, friend. Especially when we are tired. Thanks for the reminder. :)
ReplyDeleteThis was the exact post I needed to read today. My older one was my good sleeper and number 2 is the one who needs less sleep. At first I thought I was doing something wrong. Finally I realized they just weren't the same sleepers, but that doesn't mean that we haven't had many nights crying. I am totally going to take your prayer advice to help me with this struggle. Thank-you!
ReplyDelete~Jessica