In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.

— Psalm 127:2

Do you ever find yourself “burning the candle at both ends”—working day and night to get something done? While there may be times when we need to stay up late to meet a pressing deadline, losing sleep to get everything done may suggest a spiritual problem.

In Psalm 127, King Solomon of Israel offers some wisdom about work and sleep. Though it’s important to be productive, we need to be aware that if we focus only on our own efforts, we miss the bigger picture.

Instead of frantically trying to get everything done, we are encouraged to focus on God—and specifically on his blessings. Instead of agonizing over all that needs to be done, we should look to God for guidance in our daily tasks, seeking to please the Lord by admitting our dependence on him and rejoicing in his compassion. By throwing off self-imposed false burdens, we are free to simply please our merciful God.

How we view rest can be a sign of our trust in God. The Lord wants to bless us with sleep, with rest, with renewal. Though there may be times when we lose sleep, if we put our trust in God and serve him with gratitude in all our tasks and challenges, we can enjoy the rest he gives.

Father, when we work without you at the center of our lives, we work in vain. Help us to look to you and to rest in you. Amen.