In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.

— Psalm 4:8

We sleep, but the Holy Spirit and the demons do not. So even our subconscious can be a battleground of spirituality.C. S. Lewis recommended the following steps in prayer before we go to sleep. First, ask God to show you what sins you might have committed during the day. Those sins include thoughts, words, and actions. Confess those sins and ask God to forgive you for them, as well as other sins that might not even come to mind.Second, surrender your concerns and anxious thoughts to God. Let go of worries that might keep you awake. Give them up to God. As another translation of this psalm puts it, “You let me lie down in peace, and keep me perfectly safe.” We can be safe not only from violence or physical turmoil but also from the attacks of the devil. We live under the care of the loving God not only when we are awake but also when we are asleep.Finally, ask God to protect you while you sleep and when you are awake. God alone provides us with true rest. Rest is shalom/peace. In God’s shalom all is well. All is in harmony. This is the peace that Jesus leaves with his disciples, and all who follow Jesus are his disciples. Ask the Lord for this peace. It is available always, whether you are awake or asleep.

Thank you, God, that even while we sleep, you care for us. You give us the peace that the world cannot give. And in you we find eternal, peaceful rest. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.