Studies have shown that our minds are most impressionable in the first and last hour we are awake in the day. (A reason why it’s never good to be exposed to bad news soon after we wake or within the last hour before sleep).

In these tender moments, when you are either lying in bed about to get up and start your day or lying in bed trying to fall asleep, what are you usually thinking about?

Naturally, I’d presume most of us think about our lives: the things we have done, the things we plan to do, and whether we are doing enough or are adequate enough. For instance, this morning I was thinking about what to write for a devotional, and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to complete it before the deadline.

But, this is why the above passage is so important to follow. We often lose ourselves in the busyness of life — where we focus mostly on external things, like completing tasks and whether or not we have enough of something to meet some standard and be secure.

Unfortunately, a lot of our thinking tends to veer on the negative side of things, which often leads to fear and worry: things not from God. And, because we are in such a sensitive state during this time of being freshly awake or soon asleep, our minds become negatively primed to approach the day or nighttime sleep (our dreams) with worry and fear.

Thankfully, there is a solution to avoid this thinking trap: it is to slow things down by asking the Spirit to search our hearts, followed by remaining silent and being receptive to what he reveals to us.

In my case, when I’m lying in bed and listening to the Spirit’s revelation, I often see just how much my heart is on earthly things instead of heavenly things, like how I fear being perceived as a fraud of a writer for not making a deadline. And, once I realize this, I then am reminded by God’s truth that those fears are not rational and that I’m valuable to him regardless of my performance.

Perhaps you too need to spend more time in those tender moments listening to the Spirit when you're about to start or end your day. If you do, you will discover that it is a practice that will grant you more peace in your life since you are becoming more grounded in the Holy Spirit’s direction and less in what you believe is true about your life.

_Dear Lord, thank you so much for your Spirit, who dwells within every one of your children. Thank you for sending me this Great Counselor to help teach, guide, and form me into the likeness of Christ. Please soften my heart to make me more receptive to the Spirit’s direction and please instill in me daily habits to keep my relationship with the Spirit active and thriving. I say this prayer in Jesus’ name, amen. _

Throughout This Day: Practice asking the Holy Spirit to reveal truths about yourself, then take the time to be silent and listen to his direction.



Tags: Daily Devotional Psalm 4
Photo Credit: Toa Heftiba on Unsplash