The Lodestar

In this, the second-shortest psalm in the Bible, the Psalmist reveals the secret of her quiet trust in God.

When I wake up occasionally in the middle of the night, I walk to the room where my grandchildren sleep before returning to bed. The youngest is five months old, the oldest is seven, and the rest are between these ages. They are sleeping tight; their faces are so peaceful, and they are so fast asleep that even my steps do not wake them up. The secret to their calm is that they have no worries about food, clothing, or other necessities of life, as they are well cared for.

On the contrary, many grown-ups find it challenging to sleep and get a good night's rest because they take all their worries, cares, and fears to bed with them. It is difficult to detach from what they went through the day before and what awaits them the next day.

But the Psalmist describes her peacefulness, likening her soul to a weaned child with its mother. "But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me" (Psa 131:2). A weaned child does not approach the mother to be fed since it is not on breast milk anymore but on solid food. It is the presence of the mother, the warmth of her bosom, that the child seeks.

This state of faith, or quiet trust in God, requires us to calm our souls. It is a humility that acknowledges that there are many things we do not know, cannot fathom, and are beyond our grasp. We worry and spoil our sleep because our minds actively probe questions for which we have no answer.

While acknowledging our limitations, faith affirms another truth: that although we are limited in our knowledge and power, the God we trust knows and can do everything. So, take the foot off the pedals that race thoughts and land softly on the bed, in the bosom of the heavenly father, so that he can heal the day's wounds and refresh us for another day of battle in this fallen world.

Let go of the burdens your heart cannot carry. Quiet your soul like a weaned child in the arms of the Father. Tonight, resist the urge to overthink or control. Instead, rest in the presence of the One who knows, who cares, and who watches over you while you sleep. Trust him — and sleep in peace.