O RIGHTEOUS Lord, Thou holdest mine
eyes waking, and in the night season I take
no rest. I seek sleep, which Thou givest
Thy beloved, to ease my pains, and recruit
my spirit: but I find it not. But O merciful
God, let it not always fly away from me; let
my wearied eyes at length lay hold of it;
and make my sleep sweet to me. Consider
my weariness, O Lord, which calls aloud for
rest; and my weakness, which greatly needs
refreshment. While Thou keepest me awake,
let me commune with mine own heart, and
search out mine own spirit: let me remem-
ber Thee on my bed, and meditate on Thee
in the night watches: let the consideration
of Thy tender mercies be my comfort, till
Thy goodness sees fit to give sleep to my eyes,
and refreshment to my sorrows: through our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The presence of extreme busyness in our lives may point to deeper problems – a pervasive people pleasing, a restless ambition, a malaise of meaninglessness. “Busyness serves as a kind of existential reassurance, a hedge against emptiness,” writes Tim Kreider in his widely read article for The New York Times. “Obviously your life cannot possibly be silly or trivial or meaningless if you are so busy, completely booked, in demand every hour of the day.” The greatest danger with busyness is that there may be greater dangers you never have time to consider.
Kevin DeYoung