Artist's Insomnia

Artist's Insomnia
A blessing in disguise

My eyes anticipate the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word. - Psalm 119:148

A masterful pianist friend and I were lamenting our mutual malady. Musicians often suffer from this common but oft hidden sleep disorder cynically dubbed, Artist's Insomnia.

Perhaps you've experienced it. You cannot sleep or worse, awake from a dead slumber, due to a musical or creative idea playing through your mind. Well, I've a somewhat new solution? I say "somewhat" because the prescription was written over two thousand years ago.

The next time you can't sleep meditate; or, to put it another way: don't ruminate - meditate.

Psalm 119 is all about how God's word interacts with and intersects our lives. We receive blessings by obeying it (Ps. 119:1-8) Cleansing by allowing it to minister to our souls (Ps. 119:9-16) And of course the word gives us confidence, strength, and a sure foundation (Ps. 119:41-48). 

But when was the last time you actually looked forward to the wee hours of the morning because it afforded you a moment of quiet uninterrupted contemplation of God's promises? Better question: have you considered that God may be the One Who is waking you?

Meditating on God's word through the night may be new to many of us but it isn't a new idea at all. So, the next time you find yourself unable to sleep treat it as an opportunity to draw nearer to your Father God.

Don't ruminate - meditate

Dig Deeper:

Psalm 63:6
When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches,

Psalm 119:15
I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways.