Fall Asleep with God’s Word: A Gentle Nighttime Practice
Depression steals my sleep. It snatches it right up.
Lying in bed each night, I often wonder if I will ever feel normal or okay again. During the day I can put on a smile and get to work. Weary, out of energy, I press on. Activities and to-do lists consume each hour of the day. It isn’t until the world goes to sleep that I find ourselves unable to do the same, lying awake in the tangle of my anxious thoughts.
Have you ever lain awake, worrying about the cares of your life or the stress of holding it all together? Those thoughts keep us from falling asleep. Those anxieties and often depression keeps us from peacefully resting.
Who is awake with us? The answer is God. When our thoughts won’t shut off and the lies of depression keep us from resting, we need a voice to speak to us. We need a voice who will tell us the truth when the sun goes down; to remind us that the sun will rise again.
What if we ended our day with God’s Word? Not as another task, but as a way to bring peace and comfort before sleep. I have found, over and over again, that my mind can quiet itself when I’ve taken a few minutes to reflect on Scripture. This helps to shift my focus away from the worries, and remind me of God’s presence and care.
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8
A Simple Nighttime Routine with Scripture
These simple nighttime practices can help you start even now to fall asleep with God’s word:
- Listen to a Psalm (try our podcast here!)
- Read a short passage
- Repeat a verse slowly
- Pray through what you just read.
Even one verse is enough.
I have the perfect place to go! Psalms is a book that gives us permission to feel. Particularly for those who struggle with depression and anxiety, in the Psalms we find recognition and clarity as the psalmists honestly give voice to our deepest struggles. Yet Psalms also gives us a chance to hear another voice: that of our caring and ever-present Father. This is the voice I want to hear in the middle of the night when despair keeps me awake. In this devotional, readers can encounter the voice of God in the midst of restless nights.
My podcast, which I do with Jennifer Holmes, is the perfect companion for you at night. “Psalms to Help You Sleep” can guide you through Scripture at night without effort on your part. You just listen. We hope to remind you that God meets you in the night. Even in sleepless moments, you are not alone. Let God’s Word be the last voice you hear before you fall asleep.
If nights are the hardest time to quiet your mind, you’re not alone.
That’s why I created a simple Daily Prayer Guide to help you end your day with God—gently, without pressure.
It’s designed to help you release your worries and rest in His presence.
👉 You can download it here and begin a peaceful nighttime rhythm.
