God Said it, So it Must be True

Caleb started having some trouble falling asleep at night. We did some sleep training a long time ago and ever since he has mostly been able to fall asleep on his own with no problems. If he's overtired (hasn't gotten naps/nighttime sleep like he needed, whether my fault or his), it is often harder for him. But most of the time he's good about it.
Anyway, as fall has arrived and it is getting dark sooner, he did NOT like going to bed without the sunlight peering through the curtains. He would fuss and cry and we would go in to help him to sleep, hoping he'd get used to the darker room soon. Well, mom or dad helping him to sleep QUICKLY creates a habit for Caleb (and one that takes longer and longer to work); we were starting a new trend that was making Caleb lose precious sleeptime.
So, I started teaching him about nighttime. We talked about how God made both the light and the dark. He made beautiful things for us that only come out when it's nighttime like the moon and the stars. I taught him about how He gave us light so we could see during the day to work and play, and how he gave us darkness at night so our eyes could rest and we could sleep. We talked about how BOTH the day AND the night were so nice. I pointed out pictures in books and commented about how nice it was dark at night so that the baby in the picture to sleep, etc.
I told him when mommy turns off the light, it would get dark (he even started saying the word, "dark"), but again that it was so nice to be able to rest our eyes and sleep when it was dark. I told him how Jesus was always with him, that he could talk to Him anytime he wanted, even at night in bed. Then I layed out my expectations for him, "When I turn out the lights and it gets dark, I will pray with you and sing you a song. Then I want you to lay down in bed and go to sleep. You don't need to cry or play. It will be so nice to just lay down and go to sleep."

The first night I told him this, he suddenly had no problems at all. He did just what I asked of him, he layed down and went to sleep. I was a little shocked (especially after the week or so of his hating the dark). All he needed was a little explanation. For over a week now, he has done beautifully when I lay him down and leave the room. He trusted mommy enough to believe her when she said the dark room was nice and that he didn't have to cry. Mommy said it, so it must be true.

It made me think about how often I respond to God's words with a similar trust. No "why" or "what if" or "that can't be" or "wouldn't you rather I..." Just a "God said it, so it must be true" AND "I will change my actions because of what God said."

God said,
"Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything." (Philippians 4:6)
"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing" (1 Peter 3:9)
"Wives should submit to your husbands in everything." (Ephesians 5:24)
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

There are countless things God has said that we each have trouble trusting AND changing our actions because of it. Instead we worry constantly, we encourage payback, we bicker with our husbands, we live in guilt, the list could go on and on. Why are we so slow to believe the God who made all and knows all? How great it would be if we truly trusted. We could lay down and sleep soundly because we know "God said it, so it must be true." It's as simple as that.



"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6