Quick Comfort

Finn has been having a tough time sleeping the last couple of nights and we are not really sure why. Our best guess is that he is teething, but come on now, we are first time parents so what do we really know?! :)

When he wakes up like this in the middle of the night crying, I will go into his room and soothe him by stroking his head and rubbing his back. In my head, as I'm thinking how much I would rather be in bed sleeping, I allow myself to believe that I am giving the kind of tender touch that only a mother can give.

This morning at 4 a.m. when he awoke, I was feeling particularly lazy so I sat on the floor and stuck my hands through the slots in order to caress his head and back. He fussed for a bit longer, but eventually succumbed to the soothing and fell back asleep holding my hand.

(one of the many sleeping predicaments he gets himself into)

As I was thinking of the whole ordeal later this morning, I couldn't help but relate it to myself and God. There are times metaphorically "in the middle of the night" when I am crying and feel alone and in the dark. And I know God cannot be seen, but I believe that He comes to us in those moments to comfort and to just sit with us so we are not alone. Sometimes it can take me awhile to give in to His soothing, but once I do, His peace floods my heart and mind and I am able to believe again that things will be alright. 

There are many Bible verses that assure us that God will never leave us, especially when we are lost or lonely. Isaiah 30:19 even says that "Cry for help and you'll find its grace and more grace. The moment he hears, he'll answer" (MSG)

Sometimes I, like Finn, allow myself to get so worked up that I don't always welcome the soothing touch right away. It is in these times that I just need to remember that God has heard my cry and is actually eager to respond. It is my firm belief that He is quick to comfort when I am in pain; may I be quick to receive His comfort and allow myself to fall asleep holding His hand. 

"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into  prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life" (Philippians 4:6-7 MSG)