#1303. Proverbs 3:21–26 – Wisdom gives rest (9/7/25)
- Matt Beaney
- Jul 9
- 4 min read
Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional where we are continuing in our Wisdom for Life series from Proverbs.
Today, from Proverbs 3:21-26, we reflect on how good rest and sleep are the gift of wisdom.
To watch this devotional, please select the link below.
‘My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.’ (Proverbs 3:21-26)
One fruit of wisdom is peace and good sleep. Sleep is such an important and often overlooked gift. We all know the massive difference that a good night’s sleep makes to our mood, productivity, and to our health. Matthew Walker writes:
‘Do you think you got enough sleep this past week? Can you recall the last time you woke up without an alarm clock feeling refreshed, not needing caffeine? If the answer to either of these questions is “no,” you are not alone. More than a third of adults in many developed nations fail to obtain the recommended seven to nine hours of nightly sleep.fn1 I doubt you are surprised by this fact, but you may be surprised by the consequences. Routinely sleeping less than six hours a night weakens your immune system, substantially increasing your risk of certain forms of cancer. Insufficient sleep appears to be a key lifestyle factor linked to your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Inadequate sleep—even moderate reductions for just one week—disrupts blood sugar levels so profoundly that you would be classified as pre-diabetic. Short sleeping increases the likelihood of your coronary arteries becoming blocked and brittle, setting you on a path toward cardiovascular disease, stroke, and congestive heart failure. Fitting Charlotte Brontë’s prophetic wisdom that “a ruffled mind makes a restless pillow,” sleep disruption further contributes to all major psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, and suicidality.’ (Walker, Matthew. Why We Sleep)
Many fail to sleep and rest well because of fear, anxiety, and bad habits. Instead of learning to trust God, His promises, and applying His wisdom, we fear, forget His promises, and seek peace through anxious activity and bad habits.
This, of course, is not a promise that one will never struggle to sleep and rest. However, if we pursue wisdom and understanding, ‘never letting it out of sight’; if we will ‘preserve sound judgment and discretion’, we will return to the place of rest. It’s foolish to allow ourselves to trust and meditate on the worst that can happen. It’s foolish to think that we can find peace in food, drink, entertainment, phone-scrolling, and over-working. All of these avoidant activities will rob us of sleep and the rest that we need to see things more clearly. My advice, when you can’t sleep, is to stop meditating on your fear and anger by meditating on God’s truth. Pick a simple, joy-inspiring, phrase from the Bible and repeat it, praise, and pray out of it. Allow yourself to come back to a place of peace and faith.
Let’s pray together
“Father, forgive me when I’ve not sought peace and rest in your wisdom. Help me to live in wisdom and faith. Help me to be wise in resting and sleeping, which are your gifts of recreation. Amen.”
Community Group Notes
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.
Week #5. Proverbs 3:16-35. The God of creation knows about true life and wisdom.
1. What themes stand out in this week’s section? Identify key ideas and repeated patterns. What is the focus of this section?
2. What promises does God offer, and what warnings does He give? Look for specific encouragements, blessings, or cautions in the text.
3. How does this speak into our lives today? What are the practical ways we could live this out — individually, in our families, in our community?
4. How is God calling you to respond? Consider what this means for your heart, your choices, and your direction.
5. SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)
How might the wisdom in this week's section of Proverbs help us to be a light for Jesus?
Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing testimonies of God at work through us.
6. Let’s pray together:
Let’s pray for one another based on our study, and bring before God any other needs or requests for prayer.
Pray for one another's SIV opportunities and boldness in following the Spirit's promptings.
Pray specifically for the 'people of peace' in our lives—asking God to open hearts and provide opportunities to speak life and truth.
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