Falling Asleep While Praying
Falling asleep while engaging in your spiritual practices could actually be a sign for something.
It might be a bit strange to admit this: I've occasionally fallen asleep while in the middle of prayer and meditation. In fact, my wife has caught me dozing off a number of times when I'm supposed to be reflecting or meditating (I never admit it to her though!). It's embarrassing to say this since I've been on a journey of trying to commune with the Lord and be in His presence every single day for ample amounts of time. But sometimes, the body just takes over and I can't help but fall asleep. I'm sure the Lord understands. The Bible does tell us that God gives "his beloved sleep" (Ps. 127:2 ESV). Sleep is a good thing and it can be considered a gift from the Lord. However, I certainly don't want to make it a regular habit to fall asleep in the middle of my prayer times. I'm there to connect with the Lord through spiritual practices, not catch up on missing sleep.
How many of us have fallen asleep during prayer, meditation, or reading Scripture? I'm sure it's a much more common experience than many of us would like to admit. Here's something to think about if you've been falling asleep during your times of prayer.
Falling asleep while engaging in your spiritual practices could actually be a sign for something. Your physical body might be telling you that it's tired and lacking rest. And so, your body is taking the opportunity during your prayer times to get the rest it needs. You don't want to ignore what your body is perhaps saying to you here. You might want to pay attention to this. It's likely telling you that you need more sleep and rest in general.
If I'm not getting proper amounts of sleep each day, it shouldn’t be surprising to me to end up dozing off during prayer and meditation. I'm tired. And tired people fall asleep. I'm quite relaxed in the presence of God when I go into prayer. And so, it becomes an opportune moment for my body to catch up on missing sleep. If you've been dozing off a lot because you haven't been resting appropriately, you might want to consider getting proper amounts of sleep every day. This will then help you stay awake and remain concentrated when meeting with the Lord in prayer.
Connecting with the Lord for ample amounts of time each and every day takes focus and energy. If I'm tired, I won’t have the capacity to stay focused. I won’t have the energy to engage properly in spiritual activities. It's like going to the gym when you're physically tired. You'll have a more difficult time running on the treadmill or lifting weights because you simply don't have the physical capacity for it. Don't ignore the place of taking care of your body through proper sleep and rest. This could possibly impact how you connect with the Lord in spiritual practices every day.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.
