Sleep: What Does the Bible Say?Sample

You Can Sleep At the Wrong Time

The Bible not only warns against sleeping too much but also cautions against sleeping at the wrong times. It's not just the amount of sleep that matters but also its timing. For example, staying up late and neglecting morning prayer or Bible study because you're too tired is a problem. Sleeping during work hours, when you're supposed to be productive, is another form of misplaced sleep. In these cases, the issue isn't oversleeping but missing out on important responsibilities by sleeping at the wrong times.

A clear example of this is found in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus asked His disciples to watch and pray with Him, but they fell asleep instead. Jesus said, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). This shows that while sleep is necessary, it shouldn't take priority over our need for prayer, especially in critical moments. The key to overcoming temptation is prayer, and sometimes that means adjusting our sleep schedule to prioritize time with God. The real problem may not be how much we sleep, but when we sleep.

Discussion Question:
How can we better prioritize our time to ensure we are not sleeping when we should be spending time in prayer or fulfilling important responsibilities?

Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of rest and the wisdom to know when to sleep and when to be active in our spiritual walk. Help us recognize the moments when we need to pray, seek You, and fulfill our duties rather than sleep. Give us the discipline to manage our time well and the strength to resist the temptations of misplaced rest. Guide us to always put You first in our lives, trusting that when we seek You, all other things will fall into place. In Jesus' name, Amen.