Placebos

Philippians 4:19 – But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (KJV)

There have been times in my life when I have found that I just can't go to sleep quickly. When I finally do drift off, it is a restless sleep. I toss and turn all night. In the morning, I don't feel rested at all. If this happens too many nights in a row, I become anxious about not being able to sleep, and I lie awake even longer. One night recently, I tossed and turned for a couple of hours. About midnight, I got up and took a couple of Tylenols. When I crawled back into bed, I fell right to sleep, had a wonderful sleep, and felt good in the morning.

God spoke to me about that during the day. I heard loudly and clearly that I was depending on the Tylenol and not depending on God for my need of sleep. That night as I crawled into bed, I chose not to take any Tylenol. Instead, I held a pretend pill in my hand, put it in my mouth, and swallowed it. I said aloud that this pill is God's peace. The next placebo I swallowed was God's rest. The placebos continued for a while. They were God's love for me, God's acceptance of me, God's compassion for me. I laid my head down on my pillow, closed my eyes, drifted right off to sleep, and slept like a baby. I was so amazed.

What do we depend on to meet our needs? Is it our careers, our families, our homes? What are the pills we take to give us the rest we so desperately long for and need? So many times, we lose sight of the Pill-Giver. How we long to feel His presence, His peace, His comfort. Jesus is patiently waiting for us to turn to Him, and He will gladly supply all our needs.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You that You will supply all our needs — not just some, or a few, or most — but all. Help us to cling to the promise You have given us. Amen.