Sleeping Well

Sleeping Well

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

Psalm 32:5

When I (Les) was working on my doctoral dissertation, I was immersed in heady studies on guilt and remorse. I spent countless hours in the library researching the subject. And the research librarian who was assisting me not only knew the library inside and out, but she also came to know me and my research topic well. Most days, when I came into the library and headed for my usual study, Carol, the librarian, would stop by with a few more articles or research leads for me. On one occasion, however, she dropped off a paper with an inscription saying, “Thought this was funny.” The page contained this story: A shoplifter writes to a department store and says, “I’ve just become a Christian, and I can’t sleep at night because I feel guilty. So here’s $100 that I owe you.” The “former” shoplifter signed his name, and in a little postscript at the bottom added, “If I still can’t sleep, I’ll send you the rest.”

Few things prohibit a good night’s sleep more than a nagging conscience. What about in our marriages? Who among us hasn’t tossed and turned into the wee hours because of an unkind word or behavior that was more selfish than usual toward a spouse? Guilt has robbed countless couples of a good night’s rest, but of course it doesn’t have to. There is a simple remedy to this late-night torment, and it involves making a clean start.

Consider anything that might be nagging your conscience. Maybe it was the way you brushed off your spouse’s request for a favor earlier in the week. Maybe you barked an order when you were under pressure or made a critical or snide remark you regret. Maybe there’s something even heavier weighing on your conscience. Most of us have little difficulty recalling something we later regretted having said or done. Whatever might be tugging at your conscience, why don’t the two of you go to bed tonight with clean sheets, a fresh start. How? Saying a simple “I’m sorry” may be the ticket. A good old-fashioned apology may be just what the doctor ordered for allaying anything that’s pestering your principles. A clean confession accompanied by heartfelt sorrow could give both of you the best night’s sleep you’ve had in months.

There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience.

—French proverb