Deep Sleep: Giving God Our Stuff & Our Trust

So, over the past few months every time I've read a familiar bible story, I've walked away with a whole new perspective of the story. 

This week was really no different. 

A funny Insta video sent me to Genesis 2 where God creates Eve from Adam's rib. 

The story goes like this: 

The Lord creates Adam and sees that he really needs some help. Even after God makes some wild animals, it's pretty evident that the animals weren't quite the "right" type of help for Adam. So, God puts Adam in a deep sleep, he takes a rib out of Adam, closes him back up, and creates Eve. After He finishes Eve, He brings Eve to Adam...and, immediately, Adam starts reciting poetry out of pure excitement of his new help mate. 

Now, when I've heard this story before, it's typically in the sense of marriage...which I think is still super valid. There're so many lessons you can get about waiting for the right partner...and how sometimes you might have to meet and NAME some wild animals before you get to the "perfect" partner...

...but this time I got something totally different. Genesis 2:21 really stood out. It says:

"So, the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man's ribs and closed up the opening."

Something about "deep sleep," caught my attention and it occurred to me that some seasons of life actually feel a lot like "deep sleep." Now, I'm not talking about the peaceful "deep sleep" (although that could be an interesting perspective to study). Here, I'm talking about the kind of "deep sleep" that, from the outside looking in, looks as if nothing's happening...it looks like the person is dead. 

...so in true nerd fashion, I started researching the science behind sleep and...come to find out there's actually TONS of stuff happening while you're sleep. Tons of cycles and intricate processes. Apparently there're multiple levels of sleep, but when you get to the "deep sleep," you start to get what one source called "intense dreams." Basically, your brain starts operating as if you're awake...but your body is, for the lack of a better word, paralyzed. 

Intense dreams...and intense stillness.

I have 1,000% felt that way in real-life. I'll have all these big dreams about so many things, but it's as if my body...my ability to actually do it...is so limited. It's like I'm paralyzed from actually doing it. I see the vision, even ways to make it happen, but God just doesn't release me to do it (yet**).

One of the most important life lessons I'm learning is how to handle those moments. I probably still have a long way to go, but one of the most important things to do in those moments where the restraint feels soooo cruel is to trust God with ALL of your heart. 

Proverbs 3:5 instructs us to trust in the Lord with all of our heart. I used to interpret that to mean that I have to trust God with all the strength I could muster up....but in this deep sleep season, I'm learning that trusting God with all my heart also means to trust God's ability to handle all of my heart....everything in my heart...everything concerning my heart...my whole heart....Trust in the Lord with all my heart. 

That interpretation is different because it encourages me to not only fiercely trust God, but to trust Him to handle the things on my heart...including those intense dreams. 

The Bible also says that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, God gives us the desires of our heart.

I used to interpret that Scripture as meaning that if I'm happily working for the Lord, He'll give me what I want. That's not necessarily true. 

...instead, a better interpretation is that when we delight ourselves in God, He'll tell our hearts what to desire. So, it could be very well possible that while we're willingly being obedient to God and going through our "deep sleep" seasons, God is giving our hearts those intense dreams. 

Those dreams about starting a family, starting a business, writing a book, becoming an entrepreneur...they could very well be from God...and if it's from God, He's going to see to it that the vision comes to fruition.

...and if those intense dreams are from God, then we can boldly ask God to help us handle our dreams....not just when the dreams come to life, but even when they're in the "dream" stage. 

God, how do I handle this vision in the vision state?

God, give me the strength to properly hold on to the dream.

...and when the vision is from God,  we can trust that he knows the PERFECT thing to help you accomplish it.

...back to Adam and Eve. 

God saw that Adam needed some help. He saw that the wild animals weren't cutting it. So, he caused the deep sleep and did some divine surgery to create the perfect help. 

That shows me that to get the help we need, sometimes we have to be okay with being cut open & operated on. We gotta be okay with being uncomfortable. Now, that might sound incredibly painful, but remember we're supposed to be in a deep sleep! The Bible says that "while the man slept" God created the answer. 

Why is it so hard to be okay with spiritually resting so God can work on us?

Sometimes we wanna just go, go, go, but God is trying to create an answer. The answer needed in Zechariah 4:6 didn't come by human might or human power, it came by the Spirit of the Lord. One version says "Your help will not come from your own strength and power. No, your help will come from my spirit." Another version says, "You can't force these things. They only come about through my spirit."

We have to remember that the answer to a God-sized problem is only a God answer. 

We might feel like we all the tools, all the plans, and all the ability to create the answer we need, but unless God puts his hands on it...it won't work.

God created Adam's answer from a rib and some dirt that Adam already possessed or had access to...and that could explain why sometimes it feels like we have everything we need (connections, access, talent, abilities).....but we can't quite make it right. Adam had EVERYTHING...He even had communion with God, but Adam's answer didn't come until Adam was willing to go to sleep. Adam's answer didn't come until God had Adam's rib (his stuff) and Adam's rest (his trust). 

Perhaps that could explain some of our "delays." Maybe God has your abilities (your rib)...but He doesn't have your willingness to rest while He works. I mean...it's incredibly hard to rest when you don't trust that all you have to do is rest. 

....but has God not proven that He is worthy of our trust? God is a masterful artist! He doesn't need our input. He'll complete His work! Just let him have your rib and your rest...and then watch him handle the rest! Even if He removes something that's soooo close to your heart, trust that God will make it good!

...and perhaps one of the coolest things about this story is the fact that God uses what he removes. 

I imagine Adam's rib was important to him...like I might be a little leery of losing a rib, but when it gets in the hands of a Master Creator....once God gets done with it, I won't even miss it! When Adam saw Eve, his first response wasn't "Dang, God!! I can't believe you took my rib! You gave me that rib. That was mine...why'd you take it?" Nahhhh....Adam's response was one of admiration. Adam was overwhelmed by this GREAT, beautiful piece of art God had created...just for him! He didn't even miss what God took...it was in front of him...back and better than ever! (How's that for God's ability to restore?!?)

Listen, don't fight the "deep sleep." Trust that God's cutting, creating, and completing something SUPER special...specifically and especially for you!

Trust that in due time God will blow yo mind with something that will have you spitting rhymes. (I worked hard on that. 😂)

…but for real trust God with your rib and your rest. Trust Him with your stuff and your trust.

...and watch Him make it all beautiful in His time.