When My Mind Won't Settle

Read

Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Think

Have you ever had a night when your brain just would not turn off? You are lying in bed, and your thoughts keep spinning and spinning. Worries about tomorrow. Worries about a friend. Worries about things you cannot even name. It feels like your mind is running laps and will not stop.

If you have felt that, you are not alone. Even David, the man who wrote this psalm, had those kinds of thoughts. He called them anxious thoughts. That is a fancy way of saying worried, spinning, nervous thoughts.

Here is what is so beautiful. When David had those anxious thoughts, he did not try to hide them from God. He did the opposite. He said, “God, search me. Look inside me. You already know my anxious thoughts, so please come into them with me.”

That is a great thing to learn. When your mind is racing and worried, you can invite God right into it. You can say, “God, my thoughts feel all tangled up. Please help me.” You do not have to fix your feelings before you come to him. You just come.

God is not scared of your worried thoughts. He does not think you are silly for having them. He wants to sit with you in them, like a good friend who stays close when you are upset. He knows your heart, and he is gentle with it.

And look at how David ends. He asks God to lead him in the way everlasting. In other words, once God knows our worried hearts, he gently leads us to peace. He takes us by the hand and walks us toward calm.

So when your mind will not settle, try what David did. Do not hide the worry. Hand it to God. Say, “Search me, God, and help me.” He knows exactly what your heart needs, and he will lead you to a calmer place. If those worried feelings ever feel really big or last a long time, it is also a good idea to tell a parent or a trusted grownup, so they can help you too.

Apply

Invite God into the worry – Tonight before bed, if your thoughts are spinning, pray David's words: "Search me, God, and help me with my worried thoughts." Then take a slow breath and let him bring you peace.

Pray

God, sometimes my thoughts spin and I feel worried inside. Thank you that I do not have to hide it from you. Please search my heart, sit with me in my worries, and lead me to your peace. In Jesus' name. Amen.