The Naptime Blues

I have never met a mom who didn't love naptime, that glorious time of day when both children and parents get some much needed rest and rejuvenation. But there are some days when naps don't go so well, and the usual 2 hour session ends abruptly after 60 or even 45 minutes. I would love to tell you that when that happens at our house, I contentedly say, "God is good; we'll just try again tomorrow. Now I get to have the blessing of spending an extra hour with my children!" Sadly, I must tell you that my response is the very opposite. I get frustrated and discouraged, convinced that the rest of the day will be ruined. In other words, I get the "Naptime Blues."

I have asked myself many times why I struggle so much when naps are cut short. Part of the reason is that I know the benefits of sleep. If my children are well rested, they will stay healthier, learn better, and enjoy their day more. But if I dig deep into the depths of my heart, I know the ultimate reason is because I love "me." I feel that I deserve alone time, that I will be happier if I can just get a few hours to relax and unwind. And if I don't get what I need, I am robbed of my joy.

Elyse Fitzpatrick defines idolatry as "the thoughts, desires, longings, and expectations that we worship in the place of the true God. Idols cause us to ignore the true God in search of what we think we need."  My children's 2 hour nap (and a reprieve for mommy) is a good, beneficial thing. But if that time doesn't go the way I'd like and I respond in anger or selfishness, I have made naptime my idol. I have believed the lie that alone time and my children's health will bring me happiness rather than the God who is the fullness of joy. I have ignored the true God who is in control of all things (even how long my kids sleep) while sinfully searching for what I think I and my family deserve.

So when I am tempted with the "Naptime Blues," I shouldn't balk at the sovereignty of God or find comfort in lesser joys. Instead, I try to meditate on this passage of Scripture:

"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

My soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.

Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands."

~Psalm 63:1-4