I've had nights where I just can't get to sleep. I toss, I turn, I curse that Dr. Pepper I had late in the evening. I truly believe one of the more soul-crushing feelings in all of existence is wanting to go to sleep, but being unable to despite all the conditions being right. It is here that the downcast soul is born and nurtured. Watching the minutes tick away and with each shift of the glowing digital light that makes the numbers, hope fades.
Now, note that the Sons of Korah (the psalmists) say that God directs His love by day, but at night, at night it is the song of God that is with us. It seems to me that these guys are flip-flopping a lot. They go from downcast souls to talking about the lullaby that God gives them at night. But then, a night of insomnia is like that- hope dashed by wide awake overcome by hope which is dashed again. Come to think of it, life is like that as a whole.
It seems to me that what Psalm 42 is telling us is that it's best not to look at the circumstances. They will shift and change constantly and take our hope with them. Hope will always be fleeting if we look at the stuff going on around us. But if we long for God, thirst for Him like a deer searching for water, we will see His love by day, and hear His song by night.
Perhaps it is not the circumstances that break our hearts, afterall. Perhaps it is setting our minds attention on things other than God- especially our problems- that crushes our soul. So at night, when you can't sleep and your problems surround you like a forest of predators, listen for the song of God.
I didn't last night, and I'm paying for it today.
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